My 4-Ingredient Lemon Curd recipe makes a smooth, rich lemon curd that's bursting with a perfect balance of sweetness and tang. Its creamy texture and vibrant citrus flavor make it an ideal topping for toast, pastries, or yogurt.
It's easy to make with just four ingredients, offering a homemade, preservative-free alternative to store-bought versions. Enjoy the freshness and zesty punch it brings to your favorite snacks and desserts!
Best of all, it's the prefect filling for my homemade tart cases and it creates and amazing taste sensation when served with our Raspberry and White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes! So, roll up your sleeves, grab those lemons, and let's make your kitchen the happiest place in the house!
Why You'll Love My Lemon Curd Recipe
You're going to love this recipe for so many reasons! First off, it's incredibly easy to make. With just four ingredients, you'll whip up something that feels gourmet without any fuss.
Plus, you'll adore the freshness. Nothing beats the taste of homemade, especially when you're savoring the zesty, bright flavor of freshly squeezed lemons. It's a game-changer compared to store-bought versions.
And let's talk about versatility. This lemon curd is your new secret weapon in the kitchen. Whether you're jazzing up your morning toast, adding a tangy twist to your desserts, or dolloping it onto a bowl of yogurt, it's guaranteed to bring a wow factor.
It's not just a recipe; it's an instant upgrade to so many dishes. And the best part? You get to enjoy all this deliciousness knowing it's made by you, with no added preservatives. It's pure, simple, and utterly delicious.
And here's a part you'll especially appreciate: this recipe uses the whole egg, meaning no part goes to waste. It's a small but meaningful way to be mindful in the kitchen, reducing waste while still delivering a rich, creamy texture. Dive into the delight of homemade, waste-free, and utterly delectable lemon curd!
Ingredients In My Lemon Curd Recipe
Sugar:
More than just a sweetener, sugar works its magic by softening the tartness of the lemon, creating a delicious balance between sweet and sour.
It also contributes to the curd's thickness, ensuring your lemon curd has the perfect consistency to spread smoothly over your favorite treats.
Eggs:
Eggs are the backbone of this recipe, providing much more than just structure. They are pivotal in thickening the mixture, giving your lemon curd that luxurious, creamy texture that it's famous for.
By using whole eggs, this recipe ensures a richer flavor and also promotes a no-waste approach, utilizing every bit of the nutritious ingredient.
Lemon Juice (or Lime Juice or a mix of both):
This is where the lively, tangy kick comes from. Lemon juice infuses your curd with its vibrant, citrusy essence, making it the heart of the dish.
You can play around with the flavors here, opting for pure lemon, lime, or a tantalizing mix of both to suit your taste buds and add complexity to your curd.
Unsalted Butter:
Butter brings its own touch of luxury, imparting a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth feel to the lemon curd. It melds beautifully with the other ingredients, contributing to the curd's rich and smooth texture.
Opting for unsalted butter gives you control over the seasoning, allowing the natural sweetness and tartness to shine through without any salty distractions.
How To Make My Lemon Curd Recipe
Combine Ingredients Off Heat:
Start by taking a medium saucepan. Into it, mix together your sugar, lemon (or lime) juice, and eggs. Stir these well until they're nicely combined. Make sure to do this off the heat to avoid cooking the eggs prematurely.
Add Butter and Heat:
Now, drop your butter into the saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Once the butter is in, place the saucepan over medium heat. This gradual warmth will allow the butter to melt and blend smoothly with the other ingredients.
Stir Continuously:
Here's where your attention is crucial. Keep stirring the mixture consistently as it heats. This not only prevents the eggs from scrambling but also ensures everything melds together perfectly. You'll know it's coming together when you see bubbles start to form and the mixture visibly thickens.
Strain for Smoothness:
Once your mixture has thickened, take the saucepan off the heat. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. This step is vital as it removes any bits of cooked egg, ensuring your lemon curd is silky and smooth.
Optional Blending:
If you're after an extra smooth consistency, take an immersion blender and gently blend the strained mixture. This isn't necessary, but it can add an extra level of creaminess to your curd.
Cool and Refrigerate:
After blending, cover the surface of your lemon curd with cling wrap. Ensure the wrap directly touches the curd's surface to prevent a skin from forming. Then, refrigerate it until it's cool. This chilling time allows the curd to set and develop its flavors.
Stir and Store:
Once cooled, give your lemon curd a final stir to ensure its consistency is even throughout. Transfer it into a jar and keep it in the refrigerator.
Remember, this lemon curd is not just a recipe; it's a versatile companion for your toasts, desserts, or simply to enjoy as a tangy treat. The whole process is about combining, heating, stirring, and cooling — simple steps that lead to a delightful result. Enjoy the process and the delicious curd you'll make!
My Top Tip
The most important tip I can share about making this lemon curd is to continuously stir the mixture while it's heating. This constant stirring is crucial for several reasons:
Prevents Scrambling of Eggs: Eggs can cook quickly and unevenly in the heat, leading to a scrambled texture. Continuous stirring ensures the eggs cook slowly and evenly, integrating smoothly into the curd rather than forming lumps.
Ensures Even Cooking: By stirring constantly, you help distribute the heat evenly throughout the mixture, which is essential for achieving the silky, smooth texture that lemon curd is famous for.
Helps to Thicken the Curd Properly: Continuous stirring aids the mixture in thickening uniformly, ensuring your curd sets perfectly once cooled.
So, keep that whisk moving and enjoy the creamy, dreamy results of your perfectly stirred lemon curd!
What Can Lemon Curd Be Used For?
Lemon curd is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of delicious ways. Here are some serving suggestions to get you started:
Breakfast Goodness: Spread your lemon curd over warm toast, scones, or English muffins for a tangy start to your day. Pairing it with a layer of cream cheese makes for a decadent treat.
Dessert Companion: Swirl it into your Greek yogurt, layer it in your parfaits and dollop it onto your Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheesecakes. It's also a perfect topping for pavlovas, cheesecakes, and ice cream. Best of all, serve a hug dollop alongside my delicious Lemon Ricotta Blueberry Cake!
Buttercream: Makes the perfect addition to buttercream for a delicious citrusy, tangy Lemon Curd Buttercream.
Pastry Filling: Use lemon curd as a filling for tarts cases, crepes, or as a vibrant layer in multi-tiered cakes. Lemon curd can add a zesty surprise in cupcakes and muffins as well.
Tea Time Treat: Serve it as a condiment with your afternoon tea, alongside scones and clotted cream.
Fruit Pairing: It pairs wonderfully with fresh berries. Serve a dollop of lemon curd alongside a mixed berry salad for a refreshing dessert.
Dressings and Sauces: Whisk lemon curd into dressings for a citrusy zing or drizzle it over fruit salads. You can also mix it into whipped cream for a lemon-flavored topping.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Lemon curd's bright and tangy flavor makes it a versatile ingredient that enhances and complements a wide range of dishes!
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Common Questions
Lemon curd can be used as a tangy, sweet spread for scones, muffins, and toast, or as a filling for cakes, tarts, and pastries. It also serves as a delicious topping for yogurt, ice cream, and other desserts, adding a bright citrus flavor.
Homemade lemon curd will last for about one week in the refrigerator. Ensure it's stored in an airtight container and use a clean spoon each time to help it stay fresh.
No, lemon curd and lemon jam are not the same. Lemon curd is a creamy, smooth spread made with lemon juice, egg yolks, sugar, and butter, resulting in a rich, tart flavor and a custard-like texture. Lemon jam, on the other hand, is made primarily from lemon fruit and sugar, and has a more gelatinous, fruit-filled consistency similar to other fruit jams.
While fresh lemon juice is preferred for its vibrant flavor, you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch. Note that fresh juice may provide a slightly superior taste.
Yes, you can freeze lemon curd for up to a year. Place it in an airtight container, leaving some space for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Eggs are a key ingredient for the texture and thickness of traditional lemon curd. However, there are egg-free versions that use cornstarch or other thickeners as substitutes.
4-Ingredient Lemon Curd Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup (½ cup) sugar
- 3 (3) eggs large
- ½ cup (½ cup) lemon juice
- 120 g (½ cups) butter unsalted
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine Ingredients Off Heat: In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, lemon juice, and eggs. Stir well to combine, ensuring this is done off the heat to prevent premature cooking of the eggs.
- Add Butter and Heat: Add the butter to the saucepan. Then, transfer the pan to medium heat.
- Stir Continuously: Stir the mixture continuously over medium heat. Continue until you see bubbles forming and the mixture starts to thicken. This usually takes a few minutes.
- Strain for Smoothness: Once thickened, take the saucepan off the heat. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. This step is crucial to remove any cooked pieces of egg, resulting in a smoother curd.
- Optional Blending: For an extra smooth consistency, you can optionally blend the strained mixture with a stick blender.
- Cool and Refrigerate: Cover the surface of the curd with cling wrap, ensuring the wrap touches the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cooled.
- Final Stir and Store: Before transferring to a jar, give the curd a good stir with a silicone spatula. Store in the refrigerator.
- Shelf Life: The lemon curd will last for one week in the refrigerator.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Shelley O’Connell says
How long does lemon curd keep?
Fay says
Hi Shelly, One week in the refrigerator stored in an airtight container.
Muath says
Good