Lemon Curd
Updated: 4 days ago
TIME 30 minutes | LEVEL Medium |
Why You'll Love It
SILKY AND ZESTY Velvety on the tongue, bright with fresh lemon, and sweet enough to balance. | LEMON SUGAR TRICK Pulsing the zest with sugar releases its oils for a deeper citrus perfume. |
READY IN 30 MINUTES Homemade lemon curd comes together in about thirty minutes of gentle stirring. | NOT ONLY FOR TOAST Swirl it into yogurt, bake it into muffins, or use it to fill crêpes. |
Tested in my kitchen · As seen on TODAY and The Tonight Show · Parade magazine's chef for 10 years · About Chef Jon → |
Lemon Curd
Ingredients
6 unwaxed lemons
3 cups caster sugar
½ pound (225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
9 large eggs
1 cup (240ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 3 to 4 lemons)
2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
A pinch of kosher salt
Method
STEP 1 OF 4
Make the Lemon Sugar
Grate the zest from 3 of the lemons using a fine rasp. Be gentle. Avoid the bitter white pith lurking beneath the skin. Tip the zest into a food processor with the sugar and pulse until the zest is finely minced and the sugar is fragrant with citrus.
You'll know it's right when the sugar looks pale yellow and slightly damp, and it smells strongly of lemon. |
STEP 2 OF 4
Cream and Combine
Cream the butter until soft and light, then beat in the lemon-sugar until smooth. Crack in the eggs, one at a time, taking a moment to scrape down the sides as you go. Stir in the lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. The mixture may look a little curious at this point, slightly curdled, perhaps, but trust it. It will come together.
You'll know it's right when the butter and lemon-sugar are smooth and pale before the first egg goes in. |
STEP 3 OF 4
Cook Low and Slow
Pour everything into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and set it over a low flame. Stir gently and continuously with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. This is not a time for haste. Allow the mixture to thicken slowly. It will do so just before it comes to a simmer, at around 170°F (77°C). This takes about 10 minutes, maybe a little more. When it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clean line when you draw your finger through, it's ready.
You'll know it's right when the curd coats the back of the spoon and your finger leaves a clean line that holds. |
If something's off: if you spot little flecks of cooked egg, take the pan off the heat straight away and pass the curd through a fine sieve. It will still be silky. |
STEP 4 OF 4
Cool and Jar
Remove from the heat and let it cool a little before spooning into clean jars. The curd will thicken further as it chills, becoming smooth and spoonable.
Chef Jon's tip: if it's not going straight into jars, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface as it cools so it doesn't form a skin. |
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Key Ingredients
Unwaxed Lemons: Fresh, unwaxed lemons give you both the fragrant zest and the bright acidity that make the curd zing.
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice: Just-squeezed juice is essential here; bottled lemon juice simply will not give you that fresh, lively flavour.
Caster Sugar: Pulsed with the zest, the sugar draws out the lemon oils and balances the sharpness so your lips do not pucker.
Unsalted Butter: Softened butter, creamed with the lemon sugar, gives the curd its velvety, spreadable richness.
Large Eggs: The eggs thicken the curd as it cooks gently, turning it silky and custard-like.
Vanilla Extract: Not traditional, but a little good vanilla gives the curd a rounder, more comforting finish.
Kosher Salt: A pinch of salt sharpens the lemon and balances the sweetness.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Grating into the pith: the white part under the skin is bitter, so keep a light touch with the rasp and take only the yellow zest.
Using bottled juice: the curd loses its fresh, zingy flavour, so squeeze your own lemons.
Turning up the heat: high heat scrambles the eggs, so cook over a low flame and stir gently and continuously.
Letting it boil: the curd thickens just before a simmer, so take it off the heat once it coats the back of a spoon and holds a clean line.
Panicking when it looks curdled: the raw mixture may look a little curious after the eggs and juice go in, but it comes together as it cooks.
Skipping the sieve when you see flecks: if little bits of cooked egg appear, pass the curd through a fine sieve for a silky finish.
How to Store
Fridge: Spoon the cooled curd into clean jars and keep it in the fridge for up to three days; it thickens further as it chills.
Freezer: Lemon curd freezes beautifully, so pop any extra in the freezer and thaw it in the fridge before using.
Prevent a skin: If it is not going straight into jars, press plastic wrap onto the surface as it cools.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is lemon curd?
Lemon curd is a silky, custard-like spread made from lemons, sugar, butter and eggs. It sits somewhere between a sauce and a custard.
How do I know when lemon curd is thick enough?
It is ready when it coats the back of the spoon and your finger leaves a clean line that holds. It thickens just before it comes to a simmer, at around 170°F (77°C).
Why is my lemon curd lumpy?
Little lumps are bits of cooked egg, usually from heat that is a touch too high. Take it off the heat straight away and pass it through a fine sieve; it will still be silky.
Why does my mixture look curdled before cooking?
That is perfectly normal once the eggs and lemon juice go in. Trust it, as it comes together smoothly as it cooks.
Why pulse the zest with the sugar?
Pulsing them together releases the oils in the zest, giving the curd a deeper, more fragrant lemon perfume.
Can I freeze lemon curd?
Yes, it keeps beautifully in the freezer. Thaw it in the fridge and give it a stir before using.
What can I use lemon curd for?
Spread it on toast, swirl it into yogurt, bake it into muffins or use it to fill crêpes. Or simply eat it with a spoon.
Will lemon curd thicken as it cools?
Yes. It thickens further as it chills, becoming smooth and spoonable.
What Is Lemon Curd?
The Silky Lovechild of Citrus and Custard
Lemon curd is a simple yet luxurious concoction made of lemons, sugar, butter, and eggs. That's it. No fuss, no faffing about with pectin or jam thermometers.
It's what happens when sunshine, cream, and citrus sit down for tea and decide to get a little indulgent.
Properly made, it's silky on the tongue, zesty enough to wake the soul, and just sweet enough to stop your lips from puckering like you've bitten into an unripened plum. It spreads like velvet and tastes like late spring: warm breezes, blossom trees, and just a hint of mischief.
Lemon Curd Cooking Tips
How to Get It Glossy, Golden, and Glorious
Use fresh, unwaxed lemons. Bottled lemon juice will not do. You want the zingy perfume of real zest and the fresh acidity of just-squeezed juice.
Avoid the pith. When zesting, keep your touch light. The white part is bitter and will make your curd sulk.
Stir constantly. This isn't a time to check Instagram. Stay close, stir slowly, and don't let it boil. It thickens just below a simmer.
Strain it, if needed. For the silkiest finish, pass it through a sieve. It's optional but does remove any scrambled egg gatecrashers.
Add a whisper of vanilla. Not traditional, but I find it gives the curd a rounder, more comforting finish, like lemon in a cashmere jumper.
Recommended Equipment
Make this recipe easier with the right tools: Sauce Pan, Silicone Spatula, Rasp Grater, Glass Measuring Cup. Also useful: Food Processor and Fine-Mesh Strainer.
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