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–+ servings

Lemon Curd

Have 15 minutes? Make this easy, homemade lemon curd. You’ll be licking the spoon in no time. Perfect for scones, in tarts, layered in cakes, and so much more!
Homemade lemon curd in a glass jar on a wood table with fresh lemons and scones in the background.
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5 from 8 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Calories 152kcal
Author Liren Baker

Ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 whole egg
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small cubes

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, whisk together egg yolk and egg until combined.
  • While whisking, pour in sugar, lemon juice, and zest, and continue whisking until creamy and well incorporated, about one minute.
  • Place over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and can coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the butter, one cube at a time.
  • Strain into a bowl or jar, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Keep refrigerated.

Notes

Adapted from David Lebovitz‘s Improved Lemon Curd and Martha Stewart’s Lemon Curd, The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (MSL Omnimedia, 2000).
Gift Giving
This makes a delicious homemade gift. Just be sure to let your recipient know to keep it refrigerated.
Make it Dairy-Free
Reader Naomi L. made this lemon curd dairy-free by substituting the butter with one egg yolk plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Can Lemon Curd Be Canned?
Many people ask if lemon curd can be processed in a hot water bath for long-term storage, similar to jams and jellies. I know friends who do make and can fruit curds. In general, what I have learned is that frozen lemon curd can be kept much longer (up to 1 year) than lemon curd that is preserved by canning (3-4 months), but the key in doing it the latter way is using bottled versus fresh lemon juice. The worry is that fresh lemon juice lacks the acidity to make the canning safe.
I recommend checking out these two links that have info/recipes for canning lemon curd:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_02/lemon_curd.html
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/nchfp/factsheet

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tbsp | Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 12mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 275IU | Vitamin C: 5.7mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag @kitchconfidante on Instagram and hashtag it #kitchenconfidante