Description
Lemon curd is a delightful, tangy, and creamy treat made from fresh lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and butter. It’s perfect for topping toast, pancakes, or even enjoyed by the spoonful.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)
3/4 cup lemon juice (fresh, from 3–4 large lemons)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick, chopped)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks until well combined.
- Once the lemon mixture has heated, slowly pour about half of the hot liquid into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. This step is called tempering the eggs, which prevents them from curdling.
- Return the saucepan to the stove and slowly add the egg mixture back into the saucepan while stirring continuously. Make sure to keep stirring to avoid the eggs from curdling.
- Continue to whisk the curd over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until it thickens. The mixture should be thick enough that dragging a whisk through it leaves visible marks.
- Once thickened, strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer into a new bowl to remove any solid bits of cooked egg.
- Stir in the chopped butter until completely melted and incorporated into the curd.
- Cover the lemon curd with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a film from forming.
- Refrigerate for 2-4 hours until the curd is fully chilled and thickened.
- Transfer the lemon curd to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
Notes
Lemon curd can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free as it does not contain any flour or gluten-based ingredients.
If you prefer a smoother texture, you can skip the lemon zest, but it enhances the flavor.
The curd will thicken further as it cools in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 20mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
