Lemon Curd
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What’s Lemon Curd?
It’s a tangy, delightful yellow goo that you can use to fill cakes or cupcakes, flavour buttercream, put on ice cream, or just eat with a spoon. It’s also the perfect way to use up all the egg yolks you might have leftover from making meringues or swiss meringue buttercream.
I used to use this in the bakery all the time as a filling for my lemon raspberry cake and lemon poppyseed cupcakes. It’s also amazing swirled into blondies along with cream cheese - I’ll share that recipe with you soon!
What do I need to make it?
Here’s your grocery list:
-Lemons (obviously!)
-Sugar
-Eggs (you’re just going to use the yolks for this recipe)
-Unsalted butter
You will also need a kitchen scale or measuring cups & spoons (but I highly recommend the scale!) , a small pot, a spatula, a whisk, a zester, a lemon juicer, a fine mesh strainer, and an airtight container that will be ok if you pour hot lemon goo into it.
Here’s how to make it:
First, separate your eggs. The yolks can go directly into your pot and you can put the egg whites in a container in the fridge to save for making buttercream or meringues another time.
Weigh your sugar into the pot and whisk it with the egg yolks.
Wash your lemons really well and then zest one into your heat resistant container. Weigh your butter into the container too, then rest your fine mesh strainer on top of the container.
Juice your lemons and weigh the juice into the pot with the yolks & sugar and whisk it in well.
Put your pot on the stove on a medium heat. Stir very often (almost constantly) until the mixture starts to thicken. Don’t walk away from it because you’re bored of standing around stirring it, even if you think it’s nowhere close to done- IT WILL BURN! Believe me, I’ve done that too many times. Just scroll Insta while you’re stirring or something, okay?
Once it starts to thicken, let it bubble for a minute or two while stirring it then take it off the stove. Pour into the strainer on top of your container and push the mixture through with your spatula. Discard any chunks left in the strainer.
Whisk the mixture in the container until the butter is completely melted. Put the lid on your container (make sure it’s airtight!) and place your lemon curd in the fridge until it is completely cool (about an hour). Now you’re ready to use it in whatever you want to make!
Lemon curd can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for about a week.
Here's the recipe!
Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 8 Egg Yolks
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) Granulated Sugar
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) Lemon Juice
- 85 grams (6 TBSP) Unsalted Butter
Instructions
- Separate your eggs, putting the yolks into a pot and saving the whites for another recipe. Weigh your sugar into the pot and whisk the yolks and sugar together.
- Zest your lemons into the container you plan to store lemon curd in (make sure the container is heat resistant and has a tight fitting lid) Cut your unsalted butter into small cubes and put into the same container. Place a fine mesh strainer over the top of the container.
- Whisk lemon juice into egg yolk/sugar mixture and place pot on the stove on a medium heat.
- Whisk almost constantly (but gently) until mixture starts to bubble and thicken.
- Once your curd is thickened, pour through the strainer on to the butter and lemon zest, using a spatula to push mixture through sieve. Discard any solids left in strainer.
- Whisk mixture until butter is melted and completely incorporated.
- Put the lid on your container and put the lemon curd in the fridge. Let cool completely before using. It will thicken more as it cools.
