Lemon curd is easy to make with 4 simple ingredients: lemons, eggs, sugar, and butter. It’s sweet and tangy, with a smooth, velvety texture. The sugar and lemon juice creating an outstanding and well-balanced sweet-tart flavor. Enjoy the lemon curd on muffins, scones, or use it to fill cakes and pastries. Use regular or Meyer lemons (pictured) to make this tart and tasty lemon curd.
How To Use Lemon Curd
- Spread lemon curd on biscuits, scones, muffins, or toast.
- Use it as a filling for layer cakes, pies, tarts, or pastry.
- Spoon lemon curd over yogurt, custard, or ice cream.
- Fill thumbprint cookies with lemon curd.
- Fill choux pastries with lemon curd.
- Use it as a donut filling, or pipe it into cupcakes or muffins.
How To Store Lemon Curd
- Refrigerate lemon curd in an airtight jar or container and enjoy it within 2 weeks.
- To freeze, transfer the cooled lemon curd to a freezer container and freeze it for up to 1 year. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Basic Lemon Curd
Sweet, tart, velvety, and versatile, lemon curd is easy to make and has many uses. Fill cakes and pastries, spread it on scones or muffins, or spoon it over desserts.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Desserts, Lemons
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature
Instructions
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- Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Set aside.
- In the top pan of a double boiler or a metal bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the sugar and eggs.
- Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. When the mixture has thickened to the consistency of yogurt, pour it through the sieve.
- Add the lemon zest to the curd and add the butter a few pieces at a time, stirring after each addition.
- Pour it into a bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Transfer the cooled lemon curd to a jar and refrigerate for up to 2 week. Or freeze the lemon curd in small amounts for up to 1 year.
