Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe

Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe

Homemade Lemon Curd is easy, elegant, versatile, and made with 5 everyday ingredients. This gorgeous lemon dessert is sunshine on a spoon!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Keyword gluten free, vegetarian

Method Simmer

Servings cups

Calories 726kcal

Ingredients

3 large eggs
4 egg yolks from 4 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice 4-5 lemons
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons cold butter cut into cubes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare: place a fine mesh sieve over a medium-size glass bowl then set aside.
Whisk: to another medium-size glass bowl, preferably one with a lip for easy pouring, add the whole eggs plus egg yolks then vigorously whisk until smooth. I like to use a milk frother to help get the eggs very smooth.
Heat: to a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan add the lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Turn the heat to medium then whisk to combine the ingredients. Cook while slowly whisking until the sugar has dissolved, 2-3 minutes.
Temper: remove the pan from the heat then slowly stream ~3/4 cup of the hot lemon-sugar mixture (I use a small ladle) into the bowl with the eggs while whisking vigorously. Note: the process of adding hot liquid to cold eggs is called tempering the eggs and it ensures that they don't scramble when they’re added to the remaining hot liquid in the pan.
Cook: slowly stream the tempered eggs into the saucepan with the remaining lemon-sugar mixture while whisking vigorously. It's ok if the mixture foams while whisking. Place the pan over medium-low heat then whisk continuously until the mixture has thickened, 4-5 minutes — this will happen all of the sudden near the end. Avoid cooking over too high of heat and/or overcooking the lemon curd or it can taste eggy.
Strain: scrape the lemon curd into the fine mesh sieve over the glass bowl with a spatula then press it through, catching any solid, cooked pieces of egg in the sieve.
Cool: add half the cold butter then stir until melted. Add the remaining butter then stir until melted. Add the vanilla extract then stir until combined. Place a piece of saran wrap directly on top of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming then refrigerate until completely chilled before using, 2-3 hours. The Lemon Curd will thicken once it's completely cool.
Store: Lemon Curd can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Notes

Estimated nutritional information is for entire recipe.
You will need to use fresh-squeezed lemon juice for this recipe, vs bottled.
Lemon Curd should be cooked to 175 - 180 degrees as measured by a digital thermometer for optimal thickness/texture.
Suggested uses:
- As "pudding" — scoop into a cup then eat with a spoon!
- Spoon into mini pavlovas to make Berries in a Cloud.
- Mix with vanilla ice cream.
- Mix with whipped cream to create whippy Lemon Fruit Dip.
- Layer with whipped cream, blueberries, and graham crackers to create Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake.
- Dollop on top of gluten free pancakes or waffles with fresh berries.
- Make no-bake dessert cups with lemon curd, crushed graham crackers, whipped cream, and fresh berries.
- Dip into with graham crackers or shortbread cookies.
- Layer with cubed Gluten Free Angel Food Cake and fresh berries in mason jars.

Nutrition