5 from 14 votes
Lemon Curd (Lemon Butter)
Lemon Curd, also known as Lemon Butter, blends fresh lemon zest and juice with eggs, sugar, and butter to create a smooth, creamy spread. The preparation involves gently cooking the mixture while whisking to achieve a custard-like texture that sets when cooled. Its bright lemon flavor balances the richness of butter, making it ideal for spreading on toast, filling pastries, or layering in cakes.
Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 40 mins
Servings:
20
tablespoons
Calories:
103 kcal
Course:
Dessert, Breakfast, Condiments, Brunch
Cuisine:
European, American
Ingredients
- lemon zest from 3 - 4 lemons
- 100 g white sugar ½ cup
- 120 mL lemon juice ½ cup. From about 3 - 4 lemons
- 1 egg large
- 3 egg from large eggs, yolk
- salt generous pinch
- 170 g butter 1.5 sticks. Cut into small pieces, unsalted
Instructions
- Zest all lemons, and then squeeze the juice out of all of them to make ½ cup of juice (strained).
- Alternatively, carefully peel the lemon skin (just the yellow part, avoid the white part), and then squeeze out the juice to make ½ cup of strained juice.
- Place the lemon peel and sugar in a food processor and process until the lemon peel is finely processed with the sugar. If you're using a lemon zester, then you can skip this step.
- Place the sugar, lemon zest (or lemon peel processed sugar), eggs, egg yolks, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Whisk until you have a smooth and pale mixture.
- Whisk in the strained lemon juice, and add the butter.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat while whisking frequently to melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, increase the heat to medium high and whisk the mixture more frequently, until it registers at 200°F for a total cook time of about 10 minutes.
- For a thicker lemon curd - if you want a thicker lemon curd, cook further until the lemon curd has a jellied consistency, for a total cook time of about 15 - 18 minutes. Make sure you're CONSTANTLY whisking slowly to prevent the lemon curd from scrambling or splitting.
- As soon as the lemon curd reaches the right consistency, strain it immediately into a flat container to cool down quickly. Then place a plastic wrap on top, touching the surface of the lemon curd (to prevent a skin from forming on top), and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Let the lemon curd chill overnight in the fridge.
- Alternatively, transfer the hot lemon curd into sterilized jars, and let them cool down to room temperature, while the surface is covered with plastic wrap (that's touching the surface of the lemon curd), and the jars are closed with lids.
- Once at room temperature, chill in the fridge.
- Use as needed. The lemon curd will keep up to 10 days in the fridge.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Serving
1tbsp
Calories
103kcal
(5%)
Carbohydrates
8g
(3%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Cholesterol
56mg
(19%)
Sodium
5mg
(0%)
Potassium
14mg
(0%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
265IU
(5%)
Vitamin C
2.4mg
(3%)
Calcium
7mg
(1%)
Iron
0.1mg
(1%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 20 tablespoons
Amount Per Serving
Calories 103
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1tbsp | |
| Calories | 103kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 56mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 5mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 14mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 265IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 2.4mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 7mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.1mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.