Homemade lemon curd is a thick, silky, sweet-tart spread made from scratch. It’s perfect as a cake filling, a topping for pies and tarts, or simply spread on buttered toast for breakfast — versatile and delicious.
This recipe was kindly shared by Carina, one of our talented cooks. She often uses this lemon curd in her baking — for example, it’s a lovely accompaniment to her lemon scones and celebration coconut cake.
Recipe by Carina Duclos
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Yield
Makes about ¾ cup / 180 ml
Ingredients
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 lemons, strained
6 tablespoons regular sugar
2 large whole eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
Instructions
1. Place the lemon zest, strained lemon juice, sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, and butter in a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
2. Whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon — this usually takes about 3 minutes. Be careful not to let the curd boil, as high heat can cause the eggs to scramble.
3. Remove the bowl from the heat. Use a rubber spatula to press the curd through a medium-mesh sieve into a clean, dry bowl to remove zest and any cooked egg bits for a smooth finish.
4. Cover the surface of the curd directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Poke a few small holes in the wrap to let steam escape.
5. Refrigerate the curd until it is thoroughly chilled, about 3 hours. Properly stored in a sealed container, it will keep for up to 5 days.
If you enjoy citrus curds, try making orange or clementine curd for a different flavor. This lemon curd also works wonderfully in cakes — try it in an upside-down lemon cake for a delightful combination.
We’d love to hear from you. If you tried this recipe or adapted it, please share your experience in the comments. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!
Recipe Card
Homemade Lemon Curd
¾ Cup
10 minutes
15 minutes
25 minutes
A smooth, tangy homemade lemon curd — creamy, bright, and perfect for a wide range of desserts and baked goods.
Ingredients
- Zest of 2 lemons
- Juice of 2 lemons, strained
- 6 tablespoons regular sugar
- 2 large whole eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Combine zest, juice, sugar, eggs, yolks, and butter in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and butter melts.
- Continue whisking until the mixture thickly coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Do not boil.
- Remove from heat and press through a medium-mesh sieve into a clean bowl for a smooth curd.
- Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin, poke a few holes for steam, and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. Keeps up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 136
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 124mg
Sodium: 52mg
Carbohydrates: 14g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 11g
Protein: 4g
Nutrition information is approximate.
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