Perfect Lemon Curd Recipe (step-by-step)
Homemade curd is a versatile spread, sauce or topping, sweet and tangy at the same time. It 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. It lasts for weeks and can be frozen. You can easily halve this recipe.
Servings 2 ½ cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice I don't recommend bottled 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 optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup fresh lemon juice and ¼ cup unsalted butter over medium heat and remove when bubbles start to appear, just below the boiling point.
- In a large bowl, whisk 4 eggs, 2 egg yolks, and 1 cup 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 (or silicone spatula) that stays put for a few seconds. Be careful it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan so it doesn't burn.
- Remove from the heat, add a large pinch of sea salt and a few drops of vanilla extract, and stir well.
- Strain curd with a fine-mesh strainer to avoid any hard bits that might have formed. This optional step ensures creamy curds, but you can omit it if you feel your mixture is smooth and has no lumps.
- Transfer to a shallow bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap or a freezer sheet touching the whole surface of the curd, and let cool to room temperature. This will prevent a thick layer from forming.
- Refrigerate in a jar or airtight container with a lid for a week. Or freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to a month.
Notes
How can you avoid grainy or curdled lemon curd? If you're apprehensive about making this recipe, I recommend using a kitchen thermometer. Monitor the temperature of the lemon mixture and keep it between 170-180°F (76-82°C) so it sets properly. If you go above 185° (85°C), it will become grainy when it’s cooled.
It's always a good idea to strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps or bits of cooked egg that may have formed; do so before covering it and letting it cool down.
