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–+ servings
Zesty and silky smooth lemon curd. A deliciously zingy, cream and rich curd, brilliant to use in bakes and to top pancakes, waffles and ice cream. Recipe by movers and bakers
5 from 4 votes

Zesty & Silky Smooth Homemade Lemon Curd

This is an incredibly easy, 4-ingredient lemon curd! Bright, tangy, and luxuriously creamy, this recipe uses the whole egg (no leftover egg whites to worry about!). Whether you’re filling a Victoria Sponge, topping morning waffles, or just eating it by the spoonful, this 15-minute recipe is sunshine in a jar.
Servings 12 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2-3 lemons, zest and juice
  • 50 g (3 tbsp+2 tsp) unsalted butter
  • 80-100 g (¼ cup+2 tbsp - ¼ cup+3 tbsp) sugar (I use granulated)
  • 2 large eggs

Instructions

  • First sterilise the storage jar. Wash the jar well in soapy water and rinse clean. Then pop it in an oven preheated to 160C/320F for 10-15 minutes. Use immediately after sterilising.
  • Whilst the jar is sterilising, make the curd. Place a small saucepan on the hob on medium heat. Fill with about an inch or two of water in the bottom and leave to come to simmer whilst preparing the curd. Zest the lemons directly into a large mixing bowl. This gets the oils into the bowl of the curd too, which means extra flavour! Squeeze the juice of the lemons into the same bowl, then tip in the butter and sugar.
  • Place the bowl over the now simmering water, making sure the water in the pan does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk the mixture whilst heating until the butter has melted and the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
  • Once the mixture has cooled slightly, add in the eggs and mix in. Return the bowl over the pan of simmering water and cook again, whisking constantly. The mixture will be runny at first, then will have a bit of white foamy streaks through it is whisked. Eventually the white streaks will disappear and the curd will thicken. This step usually takes me about 10 minutes.
  • When the lemon curd is nearly ready, carefully remove the sterilised glass jar from the oven. Pour the lemon curd into the jar and put the lid on tightly. Leave to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator to allow it to set completely. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Start the whole process of making curd by first sterilising the jars for the curd to go into at the end.
  • Always zest the lemons before juicing (trust me, it is not fun zested already juiced fruit!). Zest directly into the mixing bowl, so you get the zest but also the flavourful oils of the fruit too.
  • Allow the initial lemon mixture to cool down a little before adding in the eggs. It only needs a few minutes to cool, but it is definitely worth the wait not to have lemon flavoured scrambled eggs!
  • Once the eggs have been added, it is really important to keep whisking the lemon curd whilst heating it. If not whisked continuously, the curd will cook at the bottom of the bowl and end up being lumpy and not smooth and creamy.
  • Remember your lemon curd will continue to cook and thicken as it cools, so take it off the heat before it gets really thick. When ready, it will coat the back of a wooden spoon, and should not run back together if you pull a finger through it.
  • When the lemon curd has thickened, pour it straight into the sterilised jar. Screw the lid on tightly and leave it to cool on the side for a couple of hours. Once at room temperature, place the jar in the refrigerator and leave to cool completely for a few more hours before using and enjoying.
    • Author: Andrea
    Calories: 71kcal
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: Baking basics, British baking recipes, Easy Lemon Curd Recipe, Homemade Lemon Curd, How to make lemon curd from scratch, preserve recipes, spring dessert ideas

    Nutrition

    Calories: 71kcal