Lemon Curd Recipe
This versatile 4-ingredient Lemon Curd recipe is the perfect sweet and tart spread for so many dishes. Whip up a pint in less than 30 minutes.
About this Lemon Curd Recipe:
Lemon Curd is a sweet and tart condiment used to spread over toast, tea cakes, scones or as a filling in pastries and cakes.
It is made of only 4 ingredients: butter, eggs, sugar and lemons. Fresh lemon juice and zest are a must for this recipe. The butter and sugar are melted over a double boiler and whisked slowly. Eggs are tempered with the hot sugar mixture then folded into the double boiler. Finally, add fresh lemon juice for that tart, crisp flavor. Whisk the mixture constantly over the heat for 15 minutes to help the curd emulsify and thicken.
Lemon curd can be stored in the fridge in a clean, airtight jar for up to three weeks.
Ingredients in Lemon Curd:
- lemons- buy organic. You will be using the zest so citrus that is not sprayed is ideal. Be certain to rinse the lemon before zesting.
- granulated sugar
- eggs- large organic eggs are preferred. Buy the freshest eggs you can find.
- butter- salted or unsalted is fine. I prefer Challenge Butter.
Equipment needed to make lemon curd:
- whisk
- silicone scraper
- heavy bottomed pot
- heat proof bowl
- glass jar for storing the zest
- funnel
- small ladle- the one I use is in this canning kit
- microplane- buy my favorite HERE
How to Serve Lemon Curd:
- serve with biscuits or scones
- use as a cake filling. See my coconut cake with lemon curd recipe here
- stir into plain greek yogurt for a decadent easy dessert
- make a fruit parfait with yogurt, berries and oats or granola
- spread over blueberry pancakes
- serve as a spread for tea cakes or as a topping for pound cake
- wrap in a beautiful jar and give as a gift
- Spoon over your favorite fruit or even a plain cheesecake
Other lemony dishes to try:
- Classic Lemon Blueberry Tea Cake
- Grilled Lemon Chicken
- Lemon Salmon Skillet
- Atlantic Beach Pie
- Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
- 4-ingredient homemade Limoncello
- Spiked Chai Lemonade
- Citrus Marinated Olives
Pro-Tips for a perfect Lemon Curd:
- Temper the eggs slowly so they do not curdle. You do not want a lumpy curd.
- If you do see lumps in your curd, strain the mixture through a fine sieve using a silicone scraper to help.
- Fresh ingredients are a must- eggs and butter should be fresh as possible
- Make certain your bowl is heatproof.
- Pop a podcast on while you are whisking to help the time go by quickly. Do not leave the curd alone- keep whisking. It’ll be worth it.
- Fresh lemon juice is a must
Ingredients
- 4 unit unit large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 8-9 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- zest from two large lemons
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat 4 large eggs with a whisk until frothy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Place the sugar in a small bowl and add in the zest, rubbing the zest into the sugar vigorously with your hands. The oils from the lemon zest will be absorbed by the sugar.
- Place a heatproof bowl over a pot of 2 inches of simmering water. Do not allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
- In the bowl, melt the 8 TBSP butter and the cup sugar until the sugar crystals have dissolved. A silicone spatula helps with the mixing.
- Add the 8-9 TBSP lemon juice to the melted sugar and butter mixture. Very slowly ladle a small amount of the lemon sugar and butter mixture into the eggs whisking well. Do this several times whisking slowly so that the eggs do not curdle.
- Pour the now-tempered eggs back into the bowl over the simmering water.
- Whisk continuously for up to 15 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Do not leave the curd- keep whisking.
- The curd will be to thicken. Once thick- remove the bowl from the heat.
- Spoon the lemon curd into a clean, glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
