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Easy Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe

Enjoy homemade lemon curd with simple ingredients and quick steps for a tangy, velvety texture that is perfect for toast, pastries, and desserts.

Homemade lemon curd recipe in a glass jar

Lemon Curd Recipe – What is Lemon Curd?

Lemon curd recipe is a simple yet delicious citrus-based spread or filling made with fresh lemons, sugar, eggs, and butter. It has a tangy and sweet flavor, making it a delightful addition to various dishes. The recipe involves zesting and juicing fresh lemons, combining the lemon zest and juice with sugar and eggs, and cooking the mixture over low heat until it thickens.

The beauty of this Lemon Curd Recipe lies in its versatility. Although it is a star even on its own but it can be used in various ways, such as spreading on toast, scones, muffins, cakes, cupcakes, biscuits, desserts, yogurt, ice cream, or tarts.

What’s so special about Lemon Curd Recipe?

  • Delightful Flavor Profile: The tangy and refreshing flavor of lemon combines with the richness of eggs and butter, creating a truly irresistible blend of flavors.
  • Versatile Usage: This can be used as a spread, filling, topping, or even a flavor enhancer in various recipes.
  • Simple Ingredients: With just a handful of staple kitchen ingredients, you can whip up a batch of lemon curd without hassle.
  • Homemade freshness: You can control the ingredients, ensuring a preservative-free and delightful experience.
Whisking together ingredients for homemade lemon curd

Ingredients for Lemon Curd Recipe

  • Lemon Zest: provides a pleasant citrus flavor and tanginess.
  • Granulated sugar: balances the tartness of the lemon and thickens the curd.
  • Unsalted butter: improves the texture, flavor, and mouthfeel .
  • Eggs: for binding, creating a smooth consistency, and ensuring stability.
  • Lemon juice: enhances the overall taste and flavor.
  • Salt: enhances the overall flavor.

How to Make Lemon Curd Recipe

  • Zest the Lemon: Using a carrot peeler or a fine zester, remove the zest of 3 lemons in thin strips, avoiding the white pith.
  • Pulse lemon zest and sugar in a food processor: Place the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.
  • Cream the butter and beat in sugar and lemon mixture: Cream the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
  • Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10-15 minutes). The curd will thicken at about 170°F, or just below simmering.
  • Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent the skin from forming, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I know if my lemon curd is cooked correctly? It should be thick enough to coat a spoon and maintain its shape without running back together when you cook it properly.
  • Can I use limes or other citrus fruits instead of lemons? You can use citrus fruits like limes, oranges, or grapefruits for citrus curds, with different flavor profiles and similar preparation processes.
  • Is lemon curd safe to eat raw? It is safe to eat lemon curd raw. The cooking process helps to pasteurize the eggs and make the curd safe to consume by eliminating the risk of foodborne illnesses that can be associated with consuming raw eggs.
  • Can I double the lemon curd recipe? Yes, you can double the recipe using a larger saucepan or double boiler for larger quantities.
  • Can I store Lemon Curd? Yes, you can. It will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container.
  • Can I freeze Lemon Curd? Absolutely! Lemon curd freezes well for up to a year in an airtight container. Simply thaw before using.

Equipment for Lemon Curd Recipe

  • Medium Saucepan: used to cook the lemon curd. 
  • Whisk or Wooden Spoon: to mix and stir the ingredients together as they cook.
  • Microplane or Zester: To zest the skin of the lemon without the bitter white pith.
  • Citrus Juicer: handy for extracting the juice from the lemons.
  • Strainer: useful for straining the lemon juice to remove any seeds or pulp before adding it to the mixture.

Tips

  1. Use ripe, fresh lemons for a bright flavor in curd.
  2. Use a microplane or fine grater to zest lemons without scraping bitter pith.
  3. Strain lemon juice to remove seeds and pulp before adding to ingredients.
  4. Cook lemon curd on low to medium heat; avoid high heat for a lumpy texture.
  5. Stir constantly to ensure even heat distribution and prevent curd from sticking.
  6. Place plastic wrap on the curd surface to prevent skin formation during cooling.
  7. Allow the curd to cool before refrigerating and transferring to the container.
  8. Store in glass jars to prevent acidic reactions.

How to Store Lemon Curd Recipes?

To store lemon curd, allow it to cool to room temperature, choose suitable containers, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. It lasts 2-3 weeks when stored correctly in the refrigerator. You can freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe, thaw frozen lemon curd gradually, and check for spoilage before using.

What to Serve with Lemon Curd Recipe

You can enjoy your lemon curd recipe with Pancakes, Waffles, Yoghurt parfait, Muffins, Cakes, cupcakes, tarts, macarons, cheesecake, ice cream, fruits salad, crepes, and shortbread cookies.

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Homemade lemon curd recipe in a glass jar

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

Enjoy homemade lemon curd with simple ingredients and quick steps for a tangy, velvety texture perfect for toast, pastries, and desserts.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 148.9kcal

Equipment

  • Medium Saucepan: used to cook the lemon curd.
  • Whisk or Wooden Spoon: to mix and stir the ingredients together as they cook.
  • Microplane or Zester: To zest the skin of the lemon without the bitter white pith.
  • Citrus Juicer: handy for extracting the juice from the lemons.
  • Strainer: useful for straining the lemon juice to remove any seeds or pulp before adding it to the mixture.

Ingredients

  • 3 lemons Juice and Zest
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ¼ lb unsalted butter room temperature
  • 4 extra-large eggs
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Wash the lemons thoroughly to remove any dirt or wax then zest the lemons to get about 2 tablespoons of zest.
  • Cut the lemons in half and juice them to yield about 1/2 cup of lemon juice.
  • Fill the bottom pot of your double boiler with 1–2 inches of water or fill a medium-sized pot with about an inch of water and bring it to a gentle simmer over low heat. This creates a double boiler.
  • In the heatproof bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, the eggs and salt and whisk until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Add the cubed butter to the bowl and place the bowl over the simmering water in the double boiler.
  • Keep whisking the mixture gently but consistently as it cooks until it becomes smooth and the butter is fully melted. The mixture will gradually thicken, becoming smooth and glossy. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
  • To check if the curd is ready, dip a spoon into the mixture. If the curd coats the back of the spoon and holds a distinct line when you run your finger through it, it’s done.
  • Once the curd is ready, remove the bowl from the double boiler.
  • Optional: Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the zest and any cooked egg.
  • Let the lemon curd cool for a few minutes before transferring it into clean jars or containers.

Notes

  • Use ripe, fresh lemons for a bright flavor in curd.
  • Use a microplane or fine grater to zest lemons without scraping bitter pith.
  • Strain lemon juice to remove seeds and pulp before adding to ingredients.
  • Cook lemon curd on low to medium heat; avoid high heat for a lumpy texture.
  • Stir constantly to ensure even heat distribution and prevent curd from sticking.
  • Place plastic wrap on the curd surface to prevent skin formation during cooling.
  • Allow lemon curd to cool before refrigerating and transferring to the container.
  • Store lemon curd in glass jars to prevent acidic reactions.

Nutrition

Calories: 148.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7.2g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 67.3mg | Sodium: 39.4mg | Potassium: 49.3mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 19.3g | Vitamin A: 257.2IU | Vitamin C: 10.7mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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