Easy Lemon Curd

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosures.

Lemon Curd is incredibly easy to make with only four ingredients in under 15 minutes. It’s fresh and tangy and wonderful spread on crumpets, stirred into porridge or yoghurt or sandwiched into the most delicious sponge cake.

Lemon Curd is a deliciously homey affair but with a hugely punchy flavour which is a world away from the jars at the supermarket.

My mum has always been a huge fan of lemon curd and we would always have a pot of it in our fridge growing up. Not homemade but then my mum isn’t like that. These days whenever I make a pot I make sure to make an extra one for Mum.

If you have never had the pleasure Lemon Curd is like a tangy buttery lemon custard which can be enjoyed in so many different ways. It’s the jam for people who find jam too sweet. A grown up jam if you will, celebrating the gorgeous tartness of lemons.

What are the ingredients of Lemon Curd?

• Lemons
• Sugar
• Butter
• Eggs

How do you make Lemon Curd?

1. Whisk together lemon juice and zest with sugar and butter over a medium heat until just boiling.
2. Whisk the hot lemon mixture over beaten eggs until combined.
3. Set back over a heat and whisk until the curd is gently boiling and thickened.
4. Strain the curd to make extra smooth and store in the fridge to cool and set.

Pro Tips

• To juice any citrus fruit my favourite tool is the Mexican Elbow. You can buy them in different sizes for limes, lemons or oranges. They are super quick and easy for juicing whilst leaving the pips behind.

• For the most gorgeous golden yellow colour for your curd use very good eggs with orange yolks. I recommend Burford Browns.
• When you are adding the hot lemon mixture over the beaten eggs go very slowly. You do not want the eggs to start scrambling. I usually start with a small splash of the hot liquid to temper the eggs whisking vigorously before pouring in the rest of the liquid in a steady stream.
• If the eggs do scramble a little, don’t worry, you will be straining the curd at the end of the process so any small strings of cooked egg will be discarded.
• If the egg completely scrambles then you may need to begin again.
• I recommend pouring the hot lemon mixture into a jug so you can pour it into the eggs more carefully rather than direct from the saucepan.
• Set the egg bowl on a damp cloth to steady it and avoid the bowl spinning around the work surface.
• When you remove the finished lemon curd from the heat it will still be a little runny. This is normal, your curd will set and thicken further as it cools.
• Lemon Curd will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

How can you use Lemon Curd?

• Spread over toast, crumpets or muffins.
• Use as an alternative filling in a Victoria Sponge.
• Stir into yoghurt and crumble over granola for a luxurious breakfast.
• Filled into pre-baked mini pastry cases and topped with fruit and whipped cream for a cheat’s lemon tart.

Other citrus curd ideas

Just replace the lemon juice and zest with the same amount from these other citrus fruits for more delicious curd ideas:

• Blood Orange Curd
• Lime Curd
• Grapefruit Curd

More recipes like this:

Seville Orange, Grapefruit and Rosemary Marmalade
Raspberry Coconut Jam
Apple Butter
Lemon Garlic and Thyme Infused Olive Oil
Whole Lemon Thyme Cake

I hope you give this Easy Lemon Curd a try. If you do make this recipe then please leave a comment below and/or give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.

Easy Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd is incredibly easy to make with only four ingredients in under 15 minutes. It’s fresh and tangy and wonderful spread on crumpets, stirred into porridge or yoghurt or sandwiched
into the most delicious sponge cake.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Preserve

Cuisine: British

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 149kcal

Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

• 3-4 lemons
• 200 g caster sugar
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 3 eggs medium sized

Instructions

• Zest 2 of the lemons, then juice them and another 1-2 more. You need to end up with 125ml fresh lemon juice.
• Pour the lemon juice, lemon zest, caster sugar and butter into a medium saucepan. Turn the heat on and whisk everything together whilst bringing to a gentle boil.
• Break the eggs into a medium sized mixing bowl. Lightly beat together then pour a splash of the hot lemon mixture into the beaten eggs, whisking vigorously to avoid the egg scrambling.
• Gently pour the rest of the lemon mixture into the eggs in a steady stream whisking all the time until the eggs and lemon mixture is completely combined.
• Pour it all back into the saucepan and bring to a boil, still whisking all the time. Continue whisking for 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens.
• Remove the lemon curd from the heat and strain so the curd is very smooth. Pour the curd into a jar and place in the fridge to cool and set for at least a couple of hours.

Notes

• Makes 400g Lemon Curd.
• I use medium eggs in this recipe.
• For the most gorgeous golden yellow colour for your curd use very good eggs with orange yolks. I recommend Burford Browns.
• When you are adding the hot lemon mixture over the beaten eggs go very slowly. You do not want the eggs to start scrambling. I usually start with a small splash of the hot liquid to temper the eggs whisking vigorously before pouring in the rest of the liquid in a steady stream.
• If the eggs do scramble a little, don’t worry, you will be straining the curd at the end of the process so any small strings of cooked egg will be discarded.
• If the egg completely scrambles then you may need to begin again.
• I recommend pouring the hot lemon mixture into a jug so you can pour it into the eggs more carefully rather than direct from the saucepan.
• Set the egg bowl on a damp cloth to steady it and avoid the bowl spinning around the work surface.
• When you remove the finished lemon curd from the heat it will still be a little runny. This is normal, your curd will set and thicken further as it cools.
• Lemon Curd will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 228IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @FromTheLarder or tag #FromTheLarder!