Description
This lemon curd recipe is a tangy, creamy spread bursting with bright citrus flavor, made from simple ingredients like lemon juice, eggs, sugar, and butter. Perfectly smooth and thick, it balances rich buttery notes with fresh acidity, ideal for cakes, tarts, pies, or breakfast items like scones. It yields about 1 ½ cups of delicious homemade lemon curd, far tastier than store-bought versions.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 1 lemon zested
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅓ cup butter (cold and cubed)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, whole egg, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sea salt until smooth with no pieces of egg remaining. Use a non-metal saucepan like ceramic coated to prevent metallic flavors.
- Cook the Curd: Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir frequently to avoid burning on the bottom. Cook the mixture until it thickens and starts bubbling gently.
- Add Butter: Remove the saucepan from heat. Immediately transfer or strain the curd into a non-metal heat-safe container or jar if lumpy. Add cold cubed butter and stir or whisk until the butter melts and the curd becomes smooth and glossy.
- Chill the Curd: Cover the surface of the curd directly with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours until chilled and further thickened, then it's ready to serve.
Notes
- This lemon curd is perfectly smooth, tangy, and creamy with a fresh citrus burst.
- Using a non-metal saucepan helps avoid any metallic aftertaste.
- Cold butter added at the end lends richness and creates a glossy finish.
- Covering the curd while chilling prevents skin formation on top.
- Yields approximately 1 ½ cups of curd, enough for spreading or filling multiple desserts.
- Best used chilled but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 48 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 33 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 0.01 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 28 mg
