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How To Make Lemon Curd

Here’s a complete guide on how to make lemon curd that is bright, lusciously creamy, deliciously tart, and sweet. You'll need only 5 ingredients to make it.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Chill Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 10 oz jar
Calories: 177 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 6 egg yolks
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar adjust quantity as per taste preference
  • ½ cup chilled butter
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and salt to a sauce pan. Cook on lowest heat on stove with constant stirring. Cooking low and slow is the key to making lemon curd and don’t stop stirring.Pro-tip: You shouldn’t see any bubbles while cooking lemon curd. Reduce heat to lowest! If you are having trouble with the temperature, it’s the stove. Better use double boiler to make lemon curd. It will take longer time to cook, but will result in silky smooth curd.
  2. While the curd in coming together add chilled(cubed) butter. Continue to stir and cook on low flame. Use cooking thermometer to check the temperature of the curd. When curd reaches 167°F, eggs are fully cooked and it’s safe to eat.
  3. Alternatively to check for the doneness of curd is to check when curd thickens if it is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon. This indicates the doneness of curd.
  4. Remove sauce pan from stove.
  5. Pour thickened lemon curd into a fine mesh strainer to strain and remove the zest and any scrambled bits of eggs from the curd. Strain into a heat proof bowl or jar.
  6. Keep lemon curd covered with plastic cling wrap to avoid skin formation on top of the curd. Allow curd to cool for 30 to 45 minutes before you can use it in any recipe or simply transfer it to serving jars to be refrigerated for later use.

Notes

  • Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
  • Use egg yolks for richer, thicker, and creamier curd! Use egg whites to make egg white scramble or use it in Chinese egg drop soup. You can also freeze egg whites for later use.
  • The best time to add butter is while the curd is coming together, it results in creamy and velvety curd. I promise you won’t have any grainy texture.
  • Low and slow is the key. Don’t get tempted to increase the heat, eggs will turn into a scramble. Use a double boiler in case the stove doesn't have low heat settings. It will take a bit longer to cook but will result in a silky smooth curd.
  • Don’t stop whisking.
  • The curd is ready when it thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
  • Always strain the curd using a fine mesh strainer. This will filter out the zest of lemon and any scrambled egg bits and give you perfectly smooth curd.

Nutrition Information

Calories 177kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 16g (5%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 117mg (39%) Sodium 142mg (6%) Potassium 30mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 15g (30%) Vitamin A 563IU (11%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 19mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10oz jar

Amount Per Serving

Calories 177

% Daily Value*

Calories 177kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 16g 5%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 117mg 39%
Sodium 142mg 6%
Potassium 30mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 15g 30%
Vitamin A 563IU 11%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 19mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.