Homemade Lemon Curd (Print Version)
Silky lemon curd with fresh lemon juice, butter and eggs — tangy spread for scones, tarts, or yogurt. Chill to set.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fruit & Juice
01 - 3 large lemons, zest finely grated and juiced (about ½ cup juice)
→ Dairy
02 - ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
→ Eggs
03 - 3 large eggs
04 - 1 large egg yolk
→ Sugar
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
# How to Make It:
01 - In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until thoroughly blended and smooth.
02 - Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the surface of the water.
03 - Add the cubed butter to the bowl and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
04 - Remove the bowl from heat and pour the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, pressing through to remove any zest or cooked egg bits.
05 - Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving for optimal texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This curd comes together in under half an hour and tastes like something from a fancy English tearoom.
- Once you make it from scratch you will never go back to the jarred version again.
02 -
- If the heat is too high the eggs will scramble and there is no saving it, so keep that water at a gentle simmer.
- Straining is not optional because it catches tiny bits of cooked egg and zest that would ruin the smoothness.
03 -
- For an ultra rich version replace the whole eggs with six yolks total and enjoy a silkier, more indulgent result.
- Always stir with a figure eight motion to keep the curd moving evenly across the bottom of the bowl where heat collects.