Lemonade Berry Vegan Curd

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Soon Lemonade berry will be in full bloom! Backyard foraging here we come!

Rhus integrifolia, also known as lemonade berry, is native to the Santa Barbara County region. You can find the plant in hedges around town or growing wild on the trails.  I happen to be blessed with some growing in our backyard! 

I have made lemonade berry country wine and lemonade berry lemonade and the result was a delicious beverage. It's so hard to wait for the berries to ripen, though!  For this recipe I played with the idea of making something with the flower buds that was also edible.  I decided to infuse lemonade berry flower buds in vegan lemon curd. By using coconut cream as a base I infused the cream with sugar, flower buds, lemon juice and arrow root powder. Yum! You can eat the lemon curd on it's own, pair it with fruit or try it with my 4 ingredient cashew date cookies. 


Lemonade Berry Vegan Lemon Curd

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 Can coconut cream

  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1/2 Cup lemon juice (juice of 4 lemons)
  • 1/4 Cup lemonade berry flower buds (if you don't have, just omit)
  • 2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • 3 Tablespoons sweetener of choice (cane sugar, sucunant, maple syrup, etc.)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place lemon juice and arrowroot powder in a small bowl and whisk until combined. 

2. Place coconut cream, lemon zest, sweetener of choice and lemonade berry flower buds in saucepan. Whisk to combine. 

3. Add to lemon juice/arrowroot powder mixture to coconut cream, lemonade berry mixture. Stir well. 

4. Cook over medium heat being careful not to let it boil. Once the mixture starts bubbling and thickening reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking until mixture is thick and jiggly. 

5. Remove from heat and strain out solids. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes then whisk one more time before transferring the curd to a vessel of choice. 

ENJOY! Emma

Food and Drink, Plants and HerbalismWomen's Heritage