Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (2024)

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This easy lemon curd recipe takes 10 minutes to make and has only 4 ingredients, so whip up a batch of this sweet dessert filling today!

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (1)

What is Lemon Curd?

It is a type of fruit curd, using fruit juice, fruit zest, sugar and egg yolks as a thickener. These are cooked until the mix thickens into a smooth and tasty spread.

Curds typically use citrus such as lemons, limes, or oranges but you can also use berries or other fruit. You can use any type of lemon for this recipe but Meyers lemons are especially delicious.

Ingredients

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (2)

  • Lemons– you’ll use both the zest and lemon juice from 2 medium lemons. Bonus – you can use any citrus you want. Oranges, limes (like in this margarita macaron recipe), grapefruits, it all works beautifully. You’ll want about 1/4 cup juice and 2 tbsp zest.
  • Eggs – The egg yolks are what thickens the curd and the egg whites make it lighter and more spreadable. I’ve tested different ratios, but really like three egg yolks to two whole eggs. But, you can alter the egg yolk to whole egg ratio and it will still turn. More yolks makes a very sturdy curd, which is great for filling cookies and tarts. Whole eggs, make a more spreadable curd, great for brunch and topping muffins and scones.
  • Butter -you can use salted or unsalted. If you use unsalted, you can also add pinch of salt when you add the butter to help cut the sweetness.

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (3)

How to make this recipe

  1. Mix or whisk the egg, egg yolks, and sugar in a bowl until it is a pale yellow and transfer to a heavy bottomed saucepan.
  2. Add the lemon juice and zest, then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5-7 minutes until it starts to thicken. When it’s done it will bubble up and it leave nice thick coat on the back of the whisk or spoon you use to mix.
  3. Once it’s thickened, remove from heat and add the butter one tablespoon at a time. You want to make sure it’s fully incorporated before adding the next.
  4. While it’s still warm, strain through a sieve. Then cover and let cool before refrigerating until ready to use. It will thicken as it cools.

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (4)

Tips and tricks:

  • Zest the lemon them juice it! This seems very obviously, but it’s very easy to forget.
  • Try to only zest the yellow parts of the lemon. The white part can be bitter.
  • Make sure to continuously stir the lemon egg mixture as it cooks. The constant stirring helps ensure the egg whites don’t separate and cook.
  • Straining out the lemon zest is optional. I personally prefer a perfectly smooth curd, so I like to strain it, but you don’t mind the zest you can skip this step.
  • The recipe makes about 1 cup lemon curd and can be doubled or tripled as needed.

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (5)

Storing and Freezing Lemon Curd

Lemon curd freezes beautifully. This recipe will last up to two weeks in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. When ready to use, let defrost in the fridge and come to room temperature right before using.

Using Leftover Egg Whites

Meringues! Use them in any meringue based dish such as French macarons, pavlovas, marshmallow frosting, and Swiss meringue buttercream. Even some marshmallow recipes call for egg whites.

You can also do baked goods like angel food cake and white cake and cupcakes. And of course, egg white omelets and my personal favorite – co*cktails that use egg whites.

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (6)

How to use this spread

Topping: This recipe is a great topping for muffins, scones, croissants, yogurt and other brunch staples. It’s also makes a delicious dessert topping for cheesecake, panna cotta, and pavlova.

Filling: My favorite way to use this recipe is for desert fillings. Cakes, cupcakes, tarts, and macarons and other sandwich cookies. Delicious!

Tried this recipe? What is your favorite way to use it? Let me know in the comments!

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (7)

Easy Lemon Curd

This easy lemon curd recipe takes 10 minutes to make and has only 4 ingredients, so whip up a batch of this sweet dessert filling today!

5 from 19 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: condiment

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 123kcal

Author: Sophia Assunta

Equipment

  • Saucepan

  • Whisk or Fork

  • Fine Mesh Strainer or Cheesecloth (optional)

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 whole egg
  • ½ cup sugar
  • Zest of two lemons about 1/4 cup
  • Juice of two lemons about 2 tablespoons
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • pinch of salt optional, if using unsalted butter

Instructions

  • Mix or whisk egg yolk, egg, and sugar in heavy bottomed saucepan until light and pale.

  • Add lemon juice and zest

  • Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until thick and bubbling, about 5-7 minutes

  • It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon

  • Remove from heat and stir in butter one tablespoon at a time

  • While still warm, strain through a mesh sieve

  • Let cool and then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. It will thicken as it cools.

Notes

  • Zest the lemon them juice it! This seems very obviously, but it's very easy to forget.
  • Try to only zest the yellow parts of the lemon. The white part can be bitter.
  • Make sure to continuously stir the lemon curd mix as it cooks. The constant stirring helps ensure the egg whites don’t separate and cook.
  • Straining out the lemon zest is optional. I personally prefer a perfectly smooth curd, so I like to strain it, but you don’t mind the zest you can skip this step.
  • This recipe makes about 1 cup of lemon curd and can be doubled or tripled as needed.
  • This recipe will last up to two weeks in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 23mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this Recipe? Let me know!Tag @Sophia.Assunta or #Partylicious!

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long is homemade lemon curd good for in the fridge? ›

This homemade lemon curd will last in your fridge for 1-2 weeks, but you can also freeze it! You guys know how I love freezing everything. In the freezer, the lemon curd will last at least a few months and the beautiful part is that it only hardens about as much as ice cream, so you can scoop it out as needed.

Why didn't my lemon curd get thick? ›

Trouble shooting: Most Lemon Curds are runny because they don't get cooked long enough, to 170 degrees F, to thicken the egg yolks – so cook on! If your curd isn't thickened after 10 minutes, or up to 15 if using a double boiler, then increase the temperature of the stove slightly – and don't stop whisking!

What happens if you cook lemon curd too long? ›

Overcooking will cause proteins to bond too tightly, squeezing water out from between them and giving them a rubbery, lumpy texture. If you over-heat the lemon curd, the egg proteins can coagulate and you will see little bits of cooked egg.

What is lemon curd made of? ›

You need 5 ingredients for lemon curd recipe: egg yolks, fresh lemons, sugar, salt, and butter. Each ingredient serves a critical purpose for thickening and flavoring. The egg yolks thicken the curd, just as they do in creme brûlée or butterscotch pudding. Use real lemons; you need both the zest and juice.

Can lemon curd sit out overnight? ›

In a covered, airtight container for up to one week. It doesn't really freeze well. Lemon curd does contain eggs and dairy (butter), so I'd be ok leaving it out for the day if I plan on serving it, but anything overnight definitely would need to be refrigerated.

Can I freeze homemade lemon curd? ›

Shelf Life: Prepared lemon curd can be frozen for up to 1 year without quality changes when thawed. To thaw, place container in a refrigerator at 40°F or lower for 24 hours before intended use. After thawing, consume within 4 weeks.

How to tell if lemon curd is done? ›

Lemon Curd: In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Place over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream) and coats the back of a wooden spoon (165 degrees F) (74 degrees C).

Why does my lemon curd taste weird? ›

A metallic aftertaste is usually the consequence of the lemon curd coming into contact with a metal (especially while it's hot). This could be a metal whisk, a metal bowl, a metal (or metal-coated) saucepan, or a metal sieve.

Why does my lemon curd taste eggy? ›

Does lemon curd taste eggy? Although lemon curd uses egg yolks and/or egg whites, the final product shouldn't taste eggy. If it does, it may mean that you've overcooked your eggs. In saying that, traditional lemon curd does have a distinct after taste which doesn't sit well with some.

What can I do with failed lemon curd? ›

Remember that curd will thicken more once cooled. If your cooled curd is not thick enough, you can reheat it to thicken. Put it over a low heat, stirring constantly. Ensure it coats the back of a spoon before taking it off the heat.

Why did my lemon curd turn green? ›

When this acid comes into contact with certain metals, notably copper or aluminum, a chemical reaction occurs. This reaction causes the metal to oxidize and release ions, and when these ions mix with the lemon curd, it results in a greenish tint to the mixture.

Why does my lemon curd have a metallic taste? ›

To prevent the curd from acquiring a metallic taste, make absolutely sure that all utensils coming into contact with it--bowls, whisk, saucepan, and strainer--are made of non-reactive stainless steel or glass. Since the tart pan has a removable bottom, it is more easily maneuvered when set on a cookie sheet.

What is the best store-bought lemon curd? ›

Wilkin & Sons Tiptree Lemon Curd

The Wilkin & Sons curd was the clear winner for its smooth and creamy texture and "real lemon flavor," but the price tag raised eyebrows. The Wilkin & Sons curd was the clear winner for its smooth and creamy texture and "real lemon flavor," but the price tag raised eyebrows.

What is a good substitute for lemon curd? ›

If you don't want to use lemon curd then we would suggest using an alternative flavour of fruit curd. We have seen passionfruit, rhubarb and tart orange (or Seville orange) curds being sold online in the UK. All of these flavours would go well with summer berries.

What is Sicilian lemon curd? ›

Sicilian Lemon Curd Deliciously rich and smooth, tangy organic lemon curd. Naturally ripened in the Sicilian sunshine, organic lemons are mixed with organic British free-range eggs and just enough organic butter to create our Sicilian lemon curd.

What is the shelf life of homemade curd in fridge? ›

Upto 5 days and 11 days dahi could be stored at room temperature (24°C) and refrigeration temperature (7°C) was in good condition with acceptable quality respectively. ... Products like yoghurt are known more for their therapeutic significance than nutritional value [11] .

How many days can homemade curd be stored in the fridge? ›

It can be stored at low temperatures (less than 5 degrees C) for several weeks. You can usually store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks but it becomes much stronger at the end of that period.

How long before lemon curd goes bad? ›

When I make curd, I always refrigerate in a good sealed container it will last about 2 weeks, anything more then that you might see some mold. I do not normally freeze my fillings so can't say how well it holds up. I tasted it, and it was really eggy. I used Wilton's lemon curd recipe.

How many days can curd be stored in the fridge? ›

Buy the freshest curds that you can. Eat what you want, but if you can't finish the bag right away or if you intend to keep it for a while put it into the refrigerator. Once refrigerated, you can usually keep the curds about two weeks.

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