Easy Lemon Curd
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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?
- Whisk together lemon juice and zest with sugar and butter over a medium heat until just boiling.
- Whisk the hot lemon mixture over beaten eggs until combined.
- Set back over a heat and whisk until the curd is gently boiling and thickened.
- Strain the curd to make extra smooth and store in the fridge to cool and set.
Expert Tips
The Lemon Mexican Elbow is a super quick citrus squeezer and easy for juicing whilst leaving the pips behind. You can buy them for limes or oranges as well.
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?
- In this outstanding Lemon Curd Cake.
- 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.
- In this delicious Lemon Curd Cheesecake.
- 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
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Easy Lemon Curd
into the most delicious sponge cake.
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. 60g with shell and 50g without shell. If you can't get hold of medium eggs I suggest you weigh the amount.
- 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.
Deliciously tangy!! Someone said it was better than Harrods!!
Wow - what a compliment! I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe - thank you!
Made this recipe today for a birthday cake I am going to be making. Very simple to follow and great result. I didn't strain it as quite nice with the lemon zest in it.
That's great to hear - your birthday cake will be so delicious!!
Fantastic recipe, whole family love it. 3rd time making it. Going to try orange next
That's great to hear - I'm so happy you are enjoying the recipe.
Best lemon curd recipe I have ever made
I'm so happy to hear that - thank you!
Delicious! And easy to make, the easiest recipe and least nerve-racking I've come across. Thank you
I'm so happy you enjoyed the lemon curd - thank you for leaving a review of the recipe!
I LOVE IT. MY HUSBAND LOVED IT. WE ARE OBSESSED!!! It’s so yummy and delicious. I added some citric acid to it since we like things a bit more tart and it’s absolutely delicious. We ate spoons full of it lol.
Question though, I saw your IG but do you have a TikTok. I would love to tag and give you credit on there (I’m new to TikTok so I’m not sure if I can tag with IG?)
Well I do have an account with TikTok but haven't posted anything yet. You can tag me and it will encourage me to add some videos!!
This recipe is AMAZING! it was my first time making a curd and it turned out perfect! The instructions were so easy to follow and the curd is just the right lemon flavour to it. Thank you! It went great with a lemon cake
I'm so happy you like the recipe Amy - thank you for your feedback!!
Easy recipe , straightforward instructions where you just can’t go wrong and delicious finished product. Fantastic result
Thank you Shena for your lovely feedback!
Georgiana,
This recipe was super simple and absolutely delicious! The instructions were also very straightforward! I'm looking forward to tasting it in your g.f. Lemon cake with merengue buttercream frosting!
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe!
Such a pleasure - I'm happy you enjoyed the recipe!!
I have just made this with Turkey eggs and it is lovely.
That's great to hear - thank you for your feedback - turkey eggs sounds good!!
Can you freeze?
Yes Lemon Curd does freeze well. After you have made it then let it cool completely before placing it in an airtight container then into the freezer. A jar is okay but it will need to have a good headroom to allow for expansion. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Just whipped up this recipe in minutes, so easy and super tasty, I had to eat the remains in the pan
That's lovely to hear Jane - thank you for your feedback!!
Have you tried any other fruit using this same recipe? A friend made me Passion Fruit Curd recently and I was wondering if it was equally as simple as this one.
Thanks.
Hi Augusta, I haven't tried passion fruit curd with this recipe but I have tried lime curd and pineapple curd which work brilliantly just subbing out one fruit for the other. Passion fruit curd doesn't have the same acidity so I can't guarantee it would work but do give it a go and let me know!!
When we substitute for other fruits, do we get the juice of it and keep it at 125ml? I saw lime and pineapple, but let’s say I want to try berries such as strawberry or raspberry. I know the consistency is different but will it still work?
Yes, the amount of juice remains the same. When I'm making berry curds I usually heat up the berries so they start to break down then sieve them to remove the skin or seeds. I then weigh out the juice and make the curd from there.
Super recipe! Thank you. It was so easy to make and it is absolutely delicious. I am using it to make your lovely lemony cake.
Hi Stephanie - that's great to hear!
Deliciously tangy and surprisingly straightforward with your wonderfully clear instructions. I used in the lemon curd sponges which were delicious.
Hi Nancy, that's lovely to hear! Thank you for your feedback!
I promise this is THE easiest way to make Lemon Curd. Use your microwave. Same ingredients into microwave safe glass bowl ~ 4 times capacity of total volume of ingredients. Microwave on high 30 seconds, take out of microwave whisk vigorously, repeat 2/3/4 times. When the perimeter of the mixture beings to change texture to that of custard. Remove from microwave whisk throughly. Leave to cool. Done . Easy easy. I didn’t believe this method when I first learnt it but it does work. Enjoy
Sounds great! Except I don't have a microwave...