Lemon Curd | Curl Your Toes Good
This homemade lemon curd recipe uses just 4 ingredients to make the most mouth-watering lemon curd you’ve ever had. Use it to make lemon bars, cookies, cocktails, and more!
My grandmother made the best lemon meringue pies. Seriously. Actually, all her pies were stellar. But, doesn’t everyone say that about their grandmother and her cooking?
Her crusts were famous in our family. They were always light, flaky and so delicious. I used to save the crust to eat last and I’d savor every delectable mouthful. And what I wouldn’t give to eat a piece of her lemon meringue pie, with the bold lemon flavor of fresh curd.
She mostly made her own lemon curd and boy, what a difference! Nana’s pies were the best because she could control the ingredients. That’s also why her homemade lemon curd was far tastier than canned.
Nothing beats homemade. Nothing.
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Helpful tips
- Be sure to wash your lemons before zesting.
- To wash them, place the lemons in a bowl with three cups of water and 1 cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, remove the lemons and run them under cold water, using a brush to scrub the skin.
- The way to pick a great lemon at the market is to first heft it in your hand. The heavier lemons have more juice than the lighter ones.
- When picking a lemon, smell it too. The more lemon fragrance, the fresher the lemon.
- Try to gauge the thickness of the rind. The thinner the rind, the more juice it will yield.
- Before juicing the lemon, roll it between your palm and a hard surface like a counter. Doing this will help release the juice.
- Use as much zest as three lemons yield.
- Here’s a tip on separating the yolks from the whites. You can use a fancy egg separator or you can just crack the egg and use your hands. I place the egg in my hand with my fingers just a tiny bit apart and let the whites drip into a bowl to save for another use. I transfer the yolk back and forth between hands until all the whites have been separated.
Here are some foods that are enhanced by this curd: margarita, lemon bars, on pancakes, on or in cupcakes, on waffles, in scones, on english muffins, in cheesecake and on ice cream.
How to make lemon curd
Step one
Gather the ingredients – fresh lemons, egg yolks, zest of lemon, sugar and butter. That is it!
Step two
After you’ve washed the lemons, grab a microplane and zest three of the lemons. I think one of the problems with lemon curd is people are scared of using a lot of lemon zest. Don’t be afraid! Be bold!
Step three
Juice all four of the lemons and set the juice aside. The lemons I used yielded 1 cup of juice. Adjust the amount of sugar you use to match the amount of lemon juice. It should be a 1:1 ratio.
Step four
Separate the yolks from the eggs. Here’s something funny. I typically use the shells to separate my eggs. I crack the egg in half and transfer the yolk from one shell to the other and let the white portion slip to the waiting bowl. (A)
So, here’s the funny part.
As I was separating the yokes for this recipe, I said to Christopher that either my grandmother Clara and/or my mom used to separate eggs with their hands, letting the whites run through their fingers. I had no sooner said that when, cracking the shell, the entire egg slipped into my hand and I was forced to separate it the way they did! How odd.
But let me tell you. It is a million times easier.
Step five
Get out a saucepan and whisk. Add the yolks to the pan and whisk them until they are combined. (B)
Step six
Add the fresh lemon juice, zest to the egg mixture. (C)
Step seven
Pour the sugar in the saucepan.
Step eight
Turn the heat on medium heat under the pan and whisk until it thickens, which takes around 10 minutes.
You will know it is done when you stick a tablespoon in the mixture and the delicious lemon sticks to the back of the spoon. Take it off the heat.
Step nine
Cut the butter into pats and add two pats to the lemon mixture and stir until they melt. Keep adding pats two at a time until all the butter is gone.
Spoon the curd in a jar, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and keep it on the counter to cool for 1/2 hour. Cover the jar with its cap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. It will thicken further in the fridge.
Doesn’t that look awesome?
I’m going to make some lemon bars AND a lemon margarita with this curd.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe!
Please feel free to comment of what types of lemon desserts you like to eat.
And as always, may all your dishes be delish.
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Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 4 lemons (3 of which you zest, juice all, mine yielded 1 cup of lemon juice)
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest (zest the lemons and whatever it yields – use that amount)
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar (same amount as the juice you use)
- .5 cup butter (cut into pats)
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, add yolks and whisk until combined5 egg yolks
- Add sugar, lemon juice and zest1 cup sugar, 4 lemons
- Turn the heat on medium and whisk all the contents together
- Keep whisking until the lemon curd thickens, it takes about 10 minutes. Do not let it come to a boil
- Check thickness by putting a tablespoon in the lemon curd. It should coat the back of the spoon
- Remove from heat
- Add 2 pats of butter at a time and mix until melted. Continue adding butter until it is all added and melted.5 cup butter
- Pour into glass container
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on counter for 1/2 hour
- Cover the jar and place in fridge and let it sit for at least an hour before eating or using
- Spoon some in your mouth
- Smile
- Enjoy
Equipment
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Be sure to wash your lemons before zesting.
- To wash them, place the lemons in a bowl with three cups of water and 1 cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, remove the lemons and run them under cold water, using a brush to scrub the skin.
- The way to pick a great lemon at the market is to first heft it in your hand. The heavier lemons have more juice than the lighter ones.
- When picking a lemon, smell it too. The more lemon fragrance, the fresher the lemon.
- Try to gauge the thickness of the rind. The thinner the rind, the more juice it will yield.
- Before juicing the lemon, roll it between your palm and a hard surface like a counter. Doing this will help release the juice.
- Use as much zest as three lemons yield.
- Here’s a tip on separating the yolks from the whites. You can use a fancy egg separator or you can just crack the egg and use your hands. I place the egg in my hand with my fingers just a tiny bit apart and let the whites drip into a bowl to save for another use. I transfer the yolk back and forth between hands until all the whites have been separated.
Nutrition
Originally published March of 2017
