This Homemade Lemon Curd is tangy, thick and delicious and so easy to make at home.
You’ll need just 4 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make this recipe.
What is a Curd?
Curd may not sound appealing. Too many thoughts of curds and wheys, maybe? However tangy Lemon Curd is almost like a smooth custard with a delicious lemon flavour. And while my homemade lemon curd contains lots of eggs it doesn’t taste eggy at all.
This lemon curd recipe is based on my passionfruit curd. 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.
Are you worried about making lemon scrambled eggs?
I understand. 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.
How to make Lemon Curd.
Here are my top 8 tips to making the best ever lemon curd.
- Use fresh lemon juice not bottled.
- Buy good quality butter and free range eggs.
- Lemon juice can react to some metals such as aluminium, copper and iron so be sure to use a stainless steel saucepan.
- Since cooked egg is the enemy of delicious, homemade lemon curd, it is important to heat the mixture slowly and over low/medium heat. You can use a double boil or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. However I find that this 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Here is a link to a post where I talk about how I sterilise jars for curd or jam.
How to make thick Lemon Curd.
Lemon curd with whole eggs is thicker and lighter than if you use egg yolks only. This is a perfect lemon curd recipe becuase it is the ideal ratio of lightness of with whole eggs and richness of the egg yolks. Egg white coagulate earlier than egg yolk but I have never found a problem with this recipe. This could be because the eggs are tempered with the hot lemon/sugar/butter mixture.
As well as using whole eggs, this lemon curd recipe has quite a lot of butter. When cooled, the butter thickens and creates a smooth, creamy lemon curd.
How to intensify the lemon flavour.
My Italian mother always peeled a strip of lemon rind to add to her custards and crema pasticcera. This is the trick used here to intensify the lemon flavour. 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.
Also increase the quantity of lemon juice for extra pucker. Add up to 3/4 of a cup of lemon juice. If you are using Meyer lemons, reduce the amount of sugar slightly because Meyer lemons are not as tangy or acidic.
Homemade Lemon Curd uses.
There are literally hundreds of uses of classic lemon curd. I will give you just a few then it’s up to your imagination and taste buds.
- on buttered toast.
- with yoghurt and granola for breakfast.
- swirled through cream and serve with fruit for dessert.
- top a pavlova with thick lemon curd, cream and fresh fruit.
- fill a plain cake like this vanilla cake.
- use a good pastry recipe like this Italian pasta frolla to make little tarts to fill with lemon curd.
- serve with a buttery cookie like these sablé bretons cookies for afternoon tea.
- top cream cheese or masarpone with tangy lemon curd and serve with crackers.
You will even eat it straight off the spoon – I guarantee!
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. I believe that lemon curd can also be frozen though I have never tried it myself. Lemon curd never lasts that long in my house. If you do try making my homemade Lemon Curd, let me know how you like it.
Baci,
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Homemade Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 125 mls lemon juice
- long strip of lemon rind with no white pith
- 170 grams unsalted butter
- 200 grams sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 egg yolk
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan place lemon juice, lemon rind, butter and sugar. Heat, stiring occasionally, over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- In a bowl, place eggs and additional egg yolks and whisk until combined.
- Whisking the eggs, slowly pour in the lemon mixture. It is important to keep whisking while you do this.
- Strain the lemon curd mixture through a sieve back into the saucepan to remove any “eggy bits”.
- Cook over a low/medium heat until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. At low heat this can take as long as 10 minutes. At medium heat it can take as little as 5 minutes.
- Be careful not to overheat and overcook the mixture – you will then have lemon flavoured scrambled eggs. I like to not risk further cooking of the curd by immediately placing the saucepan into ice water to stop any further cooking. Stir regularly while the curd cools. You could also pour the lemon curd into a jug or bowl if the saucepan is particularly hot to stop overcooking.
- Once mixture has cooled place in a sterilised jar and store in the fridge. Passionfruit curd will last for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Notes
- Add up to an additional 1/4 cup of lemon juice.
- Reduce the sugar slightly.
- Use fresh lemon juice not bottled.
- Buy good quality butter and free range eggs.
- Lemon juice can react to some metals such as aluminium, copper and iron so be sure to use a stainless steel saucepan.
- Since cooked egg is the enemy of delicious, homemade lemon curd, it is important to heat the mixture slowly and over low/medium heat. You can use a double boil or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. However I find that this 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
I’m such a ditz and hurriedly read the instructions as to add the lemon and whisked egg TOGETHER and then add it to the butter/sugar/rind saucepan mixture. It ended up working without a problem! The secret (I think) to incorporate eggs while the temperature is still warming up, keep the heat on low, and keep whisking until it thickens. I also sieved it at the very end to remove eggy bits (just a couple small pieces) + the lemon rind.
Thanks for a great recipe! I will add it to my book!
Alls well that ends well! Roxy, sounds like you saved it! Yes, if you don’t warm the lemon, butter and sugar up first, you would need to heat slowly and gently. So happy you enjoyed the lemon curd as much as I do! xx
how i love lemon curd or lemon butter as our mums used to call it:) so delicious so tangy!
My mum (being Italian) didn’t make it but I love it! I’ve got to stop myself because I can’t resist!