Bright and tangy, with the perfect amount of sweetness. This lemon curd is pure sunshine. Today we’re going to go through how to make lemon curd, along with a few tips on how you can adjust the recipe to your preference! I developed this recipe to be on the tangier side, not crazy sweet, and also on the thicker consistency end of the lemon curd spectrum.
Lemon curd is one of those fillings that truly is a joy to make from scratch, and it’s surprisingly simple, so let’s get started!
First up, let’s zest some lemons! Prepare for your kitchen to smell AMAZING. Fresh lemon is an instant mood booster in my opinion. This recipe uses the average zest AND juice amount from 3 lemons, reducing food waste.
Measure out your zest and rub it together with the sugar in your medium sized heavy bottom sauce pot to release the zest’s oils and increase the lemony flavor. Taking a few extra seconds to rub the zest in helps kick the flavor up a notch!
This lemon curd is on the less sweet side and only used 2/3 cup granulated sugar. I prefer a tangier curd because I primarily use it with sweeter desserts like macarons and pavlova, and the tartness provides balance. If you want a sweeter curd, you could add a few extra tablespoons of sugar.
Important Tip: Don’t use aluminum or unlined copper pots because the metal can react with the acidity in the lemon curd creating discoloration and a weird metallic taste. No thanks! If you don’t have a non aluminum/unlined copper sauce pot, you can use the double boiler method.
Double Boiler Method: To use a double boiler, cook the curd in a heat safe bowl over top of a pot with an inch or so of simmering water.
Once you’ve combined your zest and sugar, whisk in your egg yolks until thoroughly combined. Save those whites for a batch of macarons, pavlova, or Swiss meringue buttercream! Egg whites can be frozen for up to 1 year.
Lemon curds with egg yolks have a richer taste, darker yellow color, and thicker consistency. For a lighter color and flavor and a softer consistency, you can swap the 6 yolks for 3 whole eggs! Option C would be to do a mix and have 1 whole egg and 4 yolks, or 2 whole eggs and 2 yolks.
I personally felt like this tangy curd with less sugar was balanced out well by the richness of the yolks. I tried it with the whole egg and yolk combo, but felt that it needed more sugar to make the lemon less over the top tart.
On to the next step, juicing the lemons. I made this recipe several times over and every time, 3 lemons produced almost EXACTLY 2/3 cup of juice. Add it in to the sauce pot with the pinch of salt and whisk it up until thoroughly combined!
Now comes the cooking process. Cook the curd over medium low heat, whisking consistently until the curd thickens. This process usually takes about several minutes, but once it starts cooking it happens fast so make sure to be on guard to avoid accidentally cooking the eggs! My guess is you aren’t going for a lumpy scrambled egg curd so make sure to reach every part of the pot when whisking.
Cook the curd until it reaches 175 degrees and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the curd from heat, and stir in the cold butter (cut into tablespoon size pieces) until melted.
For the smoothest consistency, pour the curd through a fine mesh sieve at this point to remove any larger pieces of lemon zest or small pieces of accidentally cooked egg.
Cover the curd in plastic wrap, with the wrap touching the surface of the curd. The reason you want to have the wrap touching the curd is to prevent a skin from forming on the surface while it sets in the fridge. Allow the lemon curd to set and chill for 2-3 hours.
Now that you’ve made a delicious batch of home made lemon curd, pat yourself on the back and look through this list of what to eat it with!
For a Spring suited macaron recipe using lemon curd, be on the lookout for my Chamomile Honey Lemon Macarons coming soon!
To wrap this thing up, let’s talk about ways you can customize this recipe to your own preferences. Below are some notes of different ways to adjust this recipe to fit your own taste, along with frequently asked questions!
There are a few things that affect the thickness of a lemon curd!
Yes you can! However, if you do skip the sieve, you may have tiny bits of egg in the curd along with the zest. A precaution you can take if you’d like to skip the sieve and keep the zest, is to cook the curd in a double boiler instead of directly in the sauce pot. The double boiler method can take a bit longer, but because of the less direct heat, you run a lesser risk of overcooking and having cooked egg bits.
Using an aluminum or unlined copper pot to cook your lemon curd can cause a reaction with the metal and the acidity creating a lingering metallic taste and a slight discoloration. If you don’t have a non aluminum/copper pot to use, do the double boiler cooking method and cook your curd in a heat safe bowl over a pot of simmering water.
First and foremost, the curd should reach 175 degrees F! The general rule of thumb is between 170-180. Using a thermometer will give you the best idea of when your curd is done cooking. Another sign to look for is the curd visibly thickening, and being able to coat the back of a spoon.
Yes you can! Substitute the 6 egg yolks with 3 whole eggs instead. Something to note is that using whole eggs will create a less rich curd, and a softer consistency. My recipe is very lemony and tart, and the yolks help balance that tang without adding extra sugar. With whole eggs, your curd will be VERY lemony and may need a tablespoon or two more granulated sugar.
Lemon curd can split if it’s cooked on too high of a heat. The higher heat can scramble the eggs creating an undesirable texture. Curds are best cooked low and slow!
Lemon Curd will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, and according to Google, 1 year in the freezer.
Homemade lemon curd needs to be stored in the fridge and is not shelf stable. Canned lemon curd can be kept at room temperature if unopened.
Yes! Whisk in a small amount of lemon juice at a time until your curd has reached your desired consistency.
Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Subscribe now to snag your freebie and stay up to date on the latest recipes and baking fun. Discover simple yet powerful tips that will have you creating bakery-worthy treats in no time.
How to split a batch and make ombré macarons, tower display options, and a few other tips and tricks.
To rest macarons or not to rest? Or…Option C, the oven drying method!
Ready to begin making macarons? Here's all the supplies you'll need.
A detailed list of the current gear I use to capture photos and videos.
All Things Dessert,
From Classics to Showstoppers
[…] enough for this dessert plus a pinch extra, but if you want to make a full jar, head over to my Lemon Curd Recipe! (Bonus, making a full batch of the lemon curd leaves you with just the right amount of egg whites […]
Can butter be omitted? Looking forward to making this recipe!
Hi Irina! I’ve never tried this recipe without adding the butter. It would probably turn out much brighter/tangier and a thinner consistency! I know some people who don’t use butter use cornstarch as a thickener. I’d love to hear how it goes if you try out a no butter variation!