Lemon Curd Recipe
This lemon curd is sunshine in a jar—bright, silky, and bursting with the pure flavor of real lemons. Made with fresh citrus, rich butter, and just the right touch of sweetness, it cooks into a velvety spread that tastes like a spoonful of summer.
Servings 32
Calories 66kcal
Equipment
- Heavy bottom sauce pot
- Small Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 3 lemons zested, rubbed in sugar
- 6 egg yolks (200g)
- ½ c lemon juice (160ml)
- ½ c unsalted butter (113g) cold
Instructions
- Separate the yolks from the whites. You can freeze the egg whites for later use in pavlova, meringue, etc. I like to serve this curd on top of a pavlova.
- Zest the lemons. Pulse the lemon zest and sugar together in a Cuisinart or Ninja to extract the oils from the zest. You can also use your fingers to rub the zest with the sugar if you do not have kitchen appliances.
- Juice the lemons until you have a half cup of lemon juice. Strain out the seeds.
- Strain egg yolks through a sieve into a pot to remove firm parts. Whisk yolks and sugar until light in color. Slowly stir in lemon juice.
- Heat on medium-low in a thick bottom sauce pot, while stirring constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture creates tiny bubbles and thickens. The curd is thick and ready when it coats the back of a spatula or spoon.
- Quickly remove the sauce pot from heat, add cubed, cold butter, and mix with a heat-safe rubber spatula until melted. The butter emulsifies and “bonds” the liquids together.
- Strain the completed curd mixture through a sieve to remove zest and to accomplish a smooth texture. The final curd will be creamy, tart, and truly lovely.
- Transfer the curd to a sealable container. If using an open bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid a "skin" from forming on the surface.
Notes
- This recipe works for any citrus fruit: lemon, lime, grapefruit, blood orange, or orange.
- Bold(er) flavors: Lime, Passionfruit, and Lemon. I will include a recipe for making passionfruit curd in another post.
- Mild(er) flavors: Grapefruit, Orange, and Blood Orange
- Be sure to save the egg white for other recipes, particularly pavlova. Egg whites freeze well and can be thawed when ready to use.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg