Lemon Curd Recipe

This Lemon Curd is tangy, thick and delicious and so easy to make at home and there are so many uses for it that you will never run out of ideas!

You'll need just 4 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make this recipe. 

Curd may not sound appealing. Too many thoughts of curds and wheys, maybe? However tangy perfect Lemon Curd is almost like a smooth custard with a delicious lemon flavor. And while my version contains lots of eggs it doesn't taste eggy at all.

I like to strain the mixture before cooking to remove any chalaze (that's the white string that is attached to the yolk). Some recipes recommend straining after cooking to remove any cooked egg. If you have cooked egg in your lemon curd it's going to taste like lemon scrambled eggs and no amount of straining is going to remove that taste.

Lemon curd failures abound. It can curdle if overcooked and taste eggy. It can be thin and watery if not cooked enough. Have no fear! If you follow my instructions, you will find this lemon curd easy and relatively foolproof.

You'll love this recipe because:

• This recipe for lemon curd works! Follow all my instructions and tips, which you can read fully below, and you'll make the smoothest, tangy lemon curd ever!
• It's versatile! You can read further done the page how many uses there are for this wonderful thick spread. Use it as a filling, a spread or eat it by the spoonful.
• You can freeze it! Yes, that's right. This curd freezes beautifully. So, if you've made too much and you really can't use it all - freeze it for later!

Ingredients

• Lemons - Use unwaxed lemons that are full of fresh lemon juice and have fragrant zest. At a pinch, you can use bottled lemon juice. You won't have the added flavor of the lemon zest but the curd will still be quite delicious.
• Unsalted Butter - Please use good quality unsalted butter. This recipe relies of the flavor of butter so this is very important. Absolutely never use margarine.
• Sugar - White sugar gives the best color. Using superfine sugar means is dissolves quickly but it's not absolutely necessary.
• Eggs - I do prefer free range eggs with bright yellow yolks and I suggest you use them too.

Variations

Substitute with orange juice and zest for a tasty orange curd.

Instructions

This lemon curd recipe doesn't need a double boiler. Follow my instructions and tips for perfect lemon curd.

1. Heat the sugar together with the lemon juice, lemon rind and butter over medium heat to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar.
2. Lightly whisk the eggs and yolk then pour slowly in the hot lemon mixture whisking the whole time.
3. Strain back into the saucepan and cook gently over low heat until the mixture thickens.

Adjust the heat if necessary while cooking the homemade lemon curd. Be careful not to overheat or over cook the mixture because you end up with lemon scrambled eggs.

Have a large bowl of iced water nearby. When the curd is perfect, sit the bottom of the pan into the iced water to immediately stop the cooking. Stir the curd regularly as it cools.

Lemon curd uses

So what can you do with lemon curd? There are literally hundreds of lemon curd uses available to you for a classic recipe like this. I will give you just a few then it's up to your imagination and taste buds.

• on homemade English scones.
• with yoghurt and granola for breakfast.
• swirled through cream and serve with fruit for dessert.
• top these mini pancakes with generous lashings.
• fill a plain cake like this vanilla cake.
• use a good pastry recipe like this Italian sweet pastry to make little tarts to fill with lemon curd.
• make these delicious lemon curd cookies.
• sandwich between these Italian butter cookies.
• with ice cream after a main course of delicious homemade cavatelli pasta
• top mascarpone with this tangy sauce.

You will even eat it straight off the spoon - I guarantee!

Can you freeze lemon curd?

Yes! I do this all the time. Lemon curd freezes beautifully and there is no change in the texture or taste after thawing. That's right, it remains thick and smooth even when frozen for up to 12 months.

Simply fill a freezer safe container with cooled homemade lemon curd to ½ inch (1.3cm) from the top. You'll need this space because the curd will expand as it freezes. Seal the container and freeze for up to a year.

The only thing you need to be careful of is freezer burn. This happens when food is exposed to the cold, dry freezer air. Avoid this by sealing in an airtight container. If the lemon curd suffers freezer burn, you'll notice it doesn't taste right. Try removing the outer layer. This should make it taste better.

Of course, the fresher the curd is when it goes into the freezer, the better it will be when it is thawed. So if you know you aren't going to use all of the homemade lemon curd in two or three days, pop the excess into the freezer.

To thaw, move the container to the fridge 24 hours before you want to use it. Once thawed, be sure to store in the fridge and use within 2 weeks.

Freezing means that a glut of lemons doesn't get wasted. Make a few batches of this homemade lemon curd and you won't have to buy it all year. How resourceful is that?

Tips for Success and FAQ's

My Italian mother always peeled a strip of lemon rind to add to her custards and Italian pastry cream. This is the trick used here to intensify the lemon flavor. Use a vegetable peeler to cut a thin but long strip of lemon rind. Remember not to take any of the white pith which is bitter.

If you'd like a more intense lemon flavor increase the quantity of lemon juice for extra pucker. Add up to ¾ of a cup of lemon juice. When using Meyer lemons, reduce the amount of sugar slightly because Meyer lemons are not as tangy or acidic.

Here are my top 8 tips for making lemon curd.

1. It's best to use fresh lemon juice but at a pinch you could use bottled.
2. Buy good quality unsalted butter and free range eggs.
3. Lemon juice can react to some metals such as aluminium, copper and iron so be sure to use a stainless steel saucepan.
4. Since cooked egg is the enemy of delicious, homemade lemon curd, it is important to heat the mixture slowly and over low heat. You can use a double boil or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. However I find that this lemon curd recipe can be successful made without a double boiler. You must be careful not to overheat and don't leave the lemon curd even for a second.
5. That leads me to the next tip - never allow the curd to boil. If you notice it getting to hot, remove the pot from the heat, stir well then return to the heat.
6. Have a large bowl of iced water nearby just in case you have to arrest the cooking quickly by plunging the pot base into the iced water.
7. When the lemon curd is ready, pour into a bowl or jug to cool. If you leave it in the saucepan to cool, you will risk overcooked lemon curd.

Follow this recipe for the best ever, homemade Lemon Curd. You will love having a jar of this in the fridge where it will keep for a couple of weeks.

Lemon curd can be frozen but it never lasts that long in my house. If you do try making my homemade Lemon Curd, let me know how you like it.

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