A homemade Lemon Curd is so delicious but also very easy! Don't believe it?
With this step-by-step recipe you will learn how to make a delicious smooth and silky Lemon Curd in less than 30 minutes! Perfect to fill Pavlova, Crepes or to top some of your favourite Cheesecakes!
What ingredients you need
You need just a few simple ingredients for a perfect lemon curd:
- eggs: use whole, lightly beaten eggs so your curd becomes creamy and thick
- lemons: juice and zest
- granulated sugar
- butter
- a bit of salt: to enhance the flavor
Check out the whole recipe below the post!
Preparation
If you were wondering how to make lemon curd easy from scratch, here is a simple answer: mix all ingredients except the butter continuously in a double boiler until the mixture becomes smooth and thick. Then remove the top pan from the heat, add the butter and your lemon curd is ready!
The whole process takes about 25 minutes and you don't need a special appliance: your double boiler can be two saucepans pans, one half full with water and the second stacked on top.
The detailed steps are in the recipe card below the post!
Special tips
- It is very important to beat the eggs before placing them in the double boiler with the rest of the ingredients. Otherwise they might form pieces in the lemon curd.
- You want to make sure your eggs are cooked well to avoid salmonella. Therefore the water in the double boiler should be boiling continuously during 10-15 minutes while the lemon curd is cooking. For reference, salmonella bacteria dies if exposed for 10 minutes at 167 F/ 75 C.
- Pass the ready lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any pieces of eggs or lemon zest. I highly recommend you not to skip this step as the texture really matters!
- If you don't have untreated lemons, you can use lemon extract instead of lemon zest.
Uses
Not sure what to use Lemon Curd for? There are so many desserts you can garnish with it:
- It is perfect as a glaze for a Blueberry Cheesecake or Lemon Cheesecake
- Fill your Crepes with it or top your Pancakes
- Pour it on your Vanilla Ice Cream
- Spread it on a slice of bread or top your yougurt
- Top your Brown Butter Blondies with Lemon Curd or the Cream Cheese Brownie Tarts. You will thank me for this advice!
There are countless possibilities to use lemon curd as a garnish, cake filling or glaze to desserts.
Storing
The lemon curd needs to be refrigerated at all times as it is based on eggs. Store it in a closed container for up to two weeks.
You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
This easy recipe is perfect for so many purposes! I am sure you would like it if you try it.
Let me know in the comments what you think about it. I would be glad to receive your feedback if you made it!
📝 Recipe
Lemon Curd Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 lemons, juice and zest, see notes
- 130 g/ ⅔ cup granulated sugar, see notes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup/ 60 g butter
Instructions
- Make a double boiler: Place on the stove over medium heat a small saucepan filled with some water. Place another saucepan on top, so that it stays over the first one but it doesn't touch the water. Place the beaten eggs, the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and salt in the top saucepan. Stir continuously with a silicone spatula.
- When the water starts boiling, keep stirring to avoid the eggs to curdle into pieces. If needed, lower the heat but consider that the water has to boil so that the lemon curd temperature is high enough to kill any germs in the eggs (e.g. salmonella bacteria).
- After stirring 10-15 minutes with the water underneath boiling, the lemon curd should be sufficiently thick. Remove the top pan from the heat and add the butter. Let it melt completely and stir gently until smooth.
- Pass the lemon curd through a mesh sieve into a jar. This step is optional but it will help to remove any pieces of egg or lemon zest that might make the texture not smooth enough.
- Store the lemon curd in the fridge, covered with a lid for up to 10 days.
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