Homemade lemon curd is a versatile and delicious, sweet, and tangy sauce/spread/topping that can be used in various sweet dishes. By following this simple recipe, you can easily make your own and enjoy its bright and lemony flavor any time. It lasts for weeks and can be frozen.
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Lemon curd is a thick, spreadable, tangy, and sweet condiment with lots of citrus flavor to use in fruit tarts, pavlova, scones, and as a filling for cakes.
It originated in England in the 19th century and is often used as a topping for scones, toast, or pancakes, and as a filling for cakes, tarts, or cupcakes.
If you never made it at home, this lemon curd recipe will guide you step-by-step.
It's quite simple and requires a few minutes of undivided attention while the ingredients thicken on the stove.
Then, you have this precious curd that's way better than the store-bought stuff, lasts for weeks, and can be frozen for months.
Why make homemade lemon curd
- Freshness: you can use fresh, high-quality ingredients. And you can use less sugar and no preservatives, making it a healthier option, and have a bright, tangy flavor that can't be matched by store-bought versions.
- Customization: homemade curd allows you to customize the flavor and texture to your liking. You can adjust the amount of sugar or lemon juice to create a curd that is perfectly sweet and tangy as per your palate.
- Cost-effective: it can be cheaper than buying it from a store, especially if you have access to fresh lemons or can find them on sale.
Ingredient list
- Fresh lemon juice.
- Unsalted butter.
- Eggs and egg yolks: fresh, large.
- White, granulated sugar.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper.
See the recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.
Variations & substitutions
- More lemon flavor: add lemon zest to the lemon juice and butter. Strain the lemon curd before transferring it to a bowl and letting it cool.
- Citrus: make a mixed curd by using other juices (lime, orange, grapefruit) together with the lemon juice. The final amount should be the same.
- Flavorings: add a tablespoon of limoncello or other liqueur that combines with lemon, like Grand Marnier or Cointreau. Infuse it with a fresh herb like thyme or lavender.
- Creamy lemon curd: add a few tablespoons of heavy cream or cream cheese before you cover it to make it creamier. It's especially good for fillings.
- Berry flavored: swirl in a few tablespoons of berry puree after it has cooled down.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperatures, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Overcooking: it can cause the lemon curd to curdle or become grainy. If in doubt if it's thick enough or not, remove it from the heat, check, and return to cook more if necessary.
- Lumpy curd: not whisking the mixture constantly while cooking, which can result in lumps or uneven cooking.
- When to strain lemon curd: if you have pieces of cooked egg (it can happen if you add the hot butter mixture too quickly), strain it before transferring it to a bowl.
- Bottled lemon juice: I don't recommend using it as it may contain additives or preservatives that can alter the flavor of the curd. And the flavor won't be as fresh-tasting as with fresh juice. That said, you can make curd with lemon juice from a bottle.
How to make lemon curd
In a large bowl whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until combined.
Melt butter with lemon juice in a saucepan, just until it's about to break to a boil.
Pour the hot butter mixture into the egg mixture gradually, whisking constantly until completely integrated. Don't add all at once or you might curdle part of the eggs.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium/low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it thickens and a line can be drawn when a finger is slipped across the spatula.
Vintage Kitchen tip: stir constantly as you cook it the final time (with the eggs), making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. The mixture has to thicken but still be fluid.
Cooling process
Add flavorings if you want to. I add a little sea salt and a few drops of vanilla extract.
Transfer to a bowl and immediately cover with a piece of plastic (I use freezer sheets but plastic wrap also works) touching the whole surface. This prevents a thick layer from forming as it cools down.
IMPORTANT: if any lumps or bits of cooked egg have formed, you need to strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove them before covering it and letting it cool down.
Storage
Refrigerator: lemon curd can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Freezer: can be frozen for a month (without much change from what I tested) and thawed in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Always in a freezer-safe airtight container. Sometimes the texture changes slightly upon defrosting, especially if it has been in the freezer for a few months.
Uses for lemon curd
- Topping: for waffles, pancakes, cheesecake, and pavlova.
- Spread: for breakfast and brunch items like scones, toast, bagels, crackers, and biscuits. Mix it with cream cheese for a creamier spread.
- Filling: for crepes, cupcakes, cakes, tarts, macarons, and turnovers.
- Sauce: for slices of angel food cake or pound cake with berries, or for trifles.
- Quick mousse: mix it with whipped cream for a light and fluffy lemon mousse.
Related recipes you might like:
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Homemade Lemon Curd
Homemade lemon curd is a versatile and delicious, sweet, and tangy sauce/spread/topping that can be used in various sweet dishes. By following this simple recipe, you can easily make your own and enjoy its bright and lemony flavor any time. It lasts for weeks and can be frozen.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 ½ cups
Ingredients
You can easily halve this recipe.
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- Large pinch of sea salt
- A few drops of vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat lemon juice and butter and remove just below the boiling point.
- In a large bowl whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar to blend.
- Gradually add the hot lemon mixture to the eggs, mixing well and quickly. Don't add it all at once as you can curdle parts of the eggs.
- Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and stir constantly over medium-low heat until it thickens and leaves a path in the back of the spoon that stays put for a few seconds. Be careful not to burn the bottom.
- Remove from the heat, add salt and vanilla, cover with a piece of plastic wrap or a freezer sheet that touches the whole surface, and let cool. This will prevent a thick layer from forming.
- Refrigerate in a jar or container with a lid for a week. Or freeze in an airtight container for up to a month.
Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperatures, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Overcooking: it can cause the lemon curd to curdle or become grainy. If in doubt if it's thick enough or not, remove it from the heat, check, and return to cook more if necessary.
- Lumpy curd: not whisking the mixture constantly while cooking, which can result in lumps or uneven cooking.
- When to strain lemon curd: if you have pieces of cooked egg (it can happen if you add the hot butter mixture too quickly), strain it before transferring it to a bowl.
- Bottled lemon juice: I don't recommend using it as it may contain additives or preservatives that can alter the flavor of the curd. And the flavor won't be as fresh-tasting as with fresh juice. That said, you can make curd with lemon juice from a bottle.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12
- Calories: 136
- Sugar: 17.2 g
- Sodium: 219.7 mg
- Fat: 6.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.3 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
- Cholesterol: 102.9 mg
Keywords: lemon curd
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