Lemon Curd
This easy homemade lemon curd is zesty, smooth, and you only need 5 simple ingredients and 10 minutes! It is my go-to for cheesecake, crepes, macarons, toast, and more!
Ingredients
- 2 large whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter*
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a small pot over the stove at medium heat, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice very well. You need to whisk constantly and keep the temperature at a moderate heat to prevent the eggs from curdling. See my note below for double broiler alternative.
- Whisk together constantly until the mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the butter into slices about 1 tbsp. Add the salt. Mix together until melted and thoroughly combined.
- In some cases of using fresh lemon juice and zest, the curd may have more texture to it than you prefer from the lemons. If this is the case, you can pour the zest through a strainer.
- Transfer the curd to a jar or container. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2-3 weeks. Use as desired. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months and thaw when ready to use. See the post above for some of my favorite ways to use lemon curd!
Notes
*Unsalted butter substitution: Yes, you can use salted butter. If you do so, you can omit the additional 1/8 tsp salt called for in the recipe. Bakers prefer unsalted butter to remain consistent as salted butter can vary from brand to brand. But this curd is easy and flexible. Small variations won't be noticed!
*Double Broiler vs Not: Using a double broiler helps prevent curdling. Too much heat or too high of heat too quickly can cause that. Because of that risk, many people recommend using the double broiler method. This can be done by placing a heat proof bowl over a pot of boiling water. The bowl is large enough that it can sit on (or barley in) the pot. It just should NOT be touching the water.
I've found that as long as I keep the heat moderate and watch it closely, I don't need to do a double broiler, but if you have a tricky stove that's hard to moderate the heat, feel free to use the easy double broiler approach.