Use fresh farm eggs for the most gorgeous color! Once you’ve whipped up a batch, make these Blueberry Hand Pies with Lemon Curd or slather it on these Sourdough Biscuits! Simple ingredients, quick prep, freezer friendly; Easy Lemon Curd. You’ve got this!
Homemade Lemon Curd, SO Worth It
My first experience with lemon curd was in classic lemon bars. I didn’t know it at the time, but that didn’t matter. What did matter was the creamy, smooth, custardy texture I experienced. I fell head over heels in love.
For so long I thought lemon curd was hard to make and/or not worth the time. After all, it’s right there in the store, on the shelf. Why not just buy it there? But after making homemade lemon curd, I never brought it from the store again.
Why?
It’s so easy to whip up at home and stores with ease in the freezer, so it’s always handy when you need it. Homemade makes the most flavor-rich, silky, creamy, and buttery lemon curd ever. Plus, lemons are in season and the hens are laying again. That means it’s time to make curd!
Prairie Bottom Farm hens have been on a several month hiatus due to the short winter days and all the rain. One would have to do a doubletake seeing them wade through the water. It was as if they’d morphed into ducks if only for a brief period of time. Those girls lay the most vibrant golden-yolked eggs which makes a beautiful curd.
If you can find local eggs, it’s worth the effort. Local Harvest can help you locate them and other local produce you may be after.
Ingredients for Easy Lemon Curd
- Cane Sugar
- Lemon Zest
- Lemon Juice – fresh
- Eggs
- Butter
Quick Guide: How to Make Lemon Curd
This whips up in about 20 minutes. It’s so easy and fast, and makes great gifts for any occasion. People will think you’re all fancy schmancy making homemade lemon curd. We’ll keep the secret between us as to how easy it is to make. Here’s how to do it (see recipe card for details):
- First, set up a bain marie (aka double boiler – it’s easy!)
- Second, whisk the sugar, zest, and lemon juice together. Working quickly, add the eggs and whisk briskly until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Next, add all the butter at once and set in the bain marie, bowl touching the water, continuing to whisk every minute or so for about 13-15 minutes or until the curd reaches 170F (77C).
- Last, coat the back of a metal spoon with the curd and run your finger through it (let it cool a bit before you do this!). If the curd stays in place on the spoon and does not run.. it’s ready!
You’ll find many ways to enjoy it too, from slathering it on Dutch Babies, Sourdough Biscuits, shortbread, French toast, or filling a cake with it to swirling it into ice-cream, buttercream, ricotta, or making a tart or lemon bars with it. Or, sneak it into cute little Blueberry Lemon Curd Hand Pies!
The possibilities are endless.
If you’ve not made lemon curd, I hope you’ll give this a go. What’s your favorite way to enjoy lemon curd?
Easy Lemon Curd Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 C Organic Cane Sugar 166g
- Zest of 2 Lemons
- 1/2 C Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice 130g
- 2 Large Organic Eggs straight from the farm if you can!
- 1/2 C Unsalted Butter 114g
Instructions
- Set up a bain marie (AKA double boiler). If you have a double boiler, use it. If not, here's how you make a bain marie. Fill a medium pot of water 1/2 way and bring that water to a slow simmer (not boiling). You'll need to be able to fit a smaller pot into the larger pot with the curd ingredients in the smaller pot. The simmering water cooks the curd slowly and gently. The smaller pot should be stable as well because you'll be stirring.
- Have ready a fine mesh strainer and a bowl for straining the curd into.
- After the water is simmering, in the smaller pot off the heat, whisk the sugar, zest, and lemon juice together. Working quickly, add the eggs and whisk briskly until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add all the butter at once and set in the bain marie, bowl touching the water, continuing to whisk every minute or so for about 13-15 minutes or until the curd reaches 170F (77C). If you don't have a thermometer, you can cook it for about 15 minutes and notice how it thickens. Coat the back of a metal spoon with the curd and run your finger through it (let it cool a bit before you do this!). If the curd stays in place on the spoon and does not run.. it's ready!You'll want to whisk enough to cook the curd evenly and throughly. You will probably see some cooked egg.. and a bit is okay because it will be strained out.
- Strain the curd and discard the solids. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate. It will thicken as it cools.
- Once cool, transfer to lidded storage jars. Refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for up to six months (it won't last that long!).
I am making your recipe. I was wondering how much it yeilds (in cups) your recipe only indicates 6 servings. I’m using it in another recipe. Can you help? Thank you.
Hi Bridget! The recipe yields 3/4 C (472g). I hope this helps!
Can this lemon curd be used in Mimi hand pies
Hi Keith! Easily… try it in my blueberry hand pies https://vanillaandbean.com/blueberry-lemon-curd-hand-pies/ !
I saw this post for lemon cured way back in February and wanted to make it to use in my husband’s birthday cake in September. I have gluten-free white cake that I developed and like to do different things with it. For this birthday cake, I decided to make the curd and then layer the cake. Having never made lemon curd before, I wasn’t sure how it would come out. The recipe was really good and it came our perfectly. I cannot eat butter, but I has a very small taste – WOW – super flavorful and lemon. LOVED IT. We had a little birthday celebration for my husband in Copenhagen (we are Americans that are currently living in Denmark). Our Danish friends LOVED the cake – and noted the “lemon” flavor (which was the curd) many times! They did a lot of “ohhh, and ahhhh” with their eyes closed a tilt of the head. They said, “It was the best lemon anything” they’d ever had. I packed up a piece for each of them which they gladly took home and said they would eat for breakfast. I take birthdays very seriously. I love them and think it’s important to properly celebrate with loved ones and a nice cake. Thank you for making my husband’s cake super special with this lemon curd. Super recipe and a beautiful, beautiful blog post.
I made my first lemon curd in the 70-ties. Must been in the age 12 to 15. Lickeing the pan clean was my first action. Making toast the second. As I have a big brother I think there was no residues….
Now i feel a bit unhappy as there is no lemons in the cupboard. But there is some blood oranges!
Greetings from Sala, Sweden
Hey Maria! Blood Oranges? Do IT!! So good and an easy swap! So young making curd, you must have been in a family of cooks. And your big brother… no doubt there were no residues! Thank you for stopping by, all the way from Sweden! :D
Hi Tracy! I’m twelve and I am inspired by your recipes! I am currently loving this lemon curd. I made it by myself successfully!
Hi May! Yay YOU! Thank you for sharing your success with us and your kind words! :D