The Perfect Morning Dish To Perk Up With Lemon Curd

They say breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, but it can also be one of the tastiest. The options are basically endless and let you play with great ingredients and flavors, like a smooth and tart lemon curd. This ingredient brings a vibrant tartness to anything it touches, but one dish in particular shines with this creamy lemon addition. Crepes, France's light and lacy answer to the pancake, are a classic creation that can be eaten at any meal, and although they go well with savory ingredients like meat, seafood, and veggies, they really shine when you turn them into a sweet breakfast treat, especially with lemon curd.

The contrasting textures and flavors of a soft crepe and a creamy but tangy lemon curd are a great way to kickstart your day. The combination perfectly blends sweet with savory so the flavor isn't overwhelmingly lemony, but which still adds some personality to the neutrality of the crepes. You can achieve this dish by either buying pre-made crepes from the store, or make your own by following the Julia Child method for incredibly thin crepes, then preparing a simple lemon curd that will show off your culinary skills. It's surprisingly easy: All you need is a few basic ingredients like lemon juice, eggs, sugar, and butter, as well as a microwave to make the easiest lemon curd of your life. Once your curd and crepes are ready, you can begin assembling. Smear a thin layer of lemon curd on one side of each crepe, fold in half and then into quarters, and sprinkle with a light dusting of powdered sugar and some fresh blueberries. If the taste of the lemon curd is still intimidating you, whip in some ricotta to mellow the flavor.

Making lemon curd is a useful skill to have since the spread can be used in so many different ways and will last for quite some time depending on how you store it. It will keep for a week or two in the refrigerator as long as it is properly stored in an airtight container, so you don't have to worry if you can't use it all up in your crepe breakfast. You can also store lemon curd in a tightly-sealed container in the freezer for up to a year — just give it plenty of time to defrost in the fridge to use when you're ready. 

Once your curd is prepared (or defrosted), you can use it for just about anything your heart desires, crepes and beyond — although you'll want to skip the obvious, like meat and seafood dishes or anything chocolatey. Instead, you can fill pastries and donuts with it, mix it into oatmeal, or even spread it on bread for a unique sandwich, just to name a few possibilities. If you tend to keep frozen store-bought puff pastry, turn it into a classic lemon curd tart when the mood hits you. Or, you can go fancy and serve your lemon card with crumpets and clotted cream alongside an afternoon cup of tea. And don't forget that crepes don't have to be an early morning breakfast meal, either. Just like American-style pancakes are awesome at dinnertime, crepes filled with lemon curd can fit the bill just as easily.