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–+ servings

Easy Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe

A classic British spread made with fresh lemons, eggs, sugar, and butter, cooked gently until thick and creamy. This versatile citrus curd delivers intense lemon flavor with a silky smooth texture that's perfect for spreading on scones, filling tarts, or enjoying by the spoonful.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 2 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast, Condiment, Dessert Topping, Spread
Cuisine British, English
Servings 24 tablespoons (1.5 cups)
Calories 60 kcal

Equipment

  • medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
  • Wire whisk
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Rubber spatula
  • instant-read thermometer (optional)
  • glass jars for storage

Ingredients
  

For the Lemon Curd

  • 4 large egg yolks at room temperature for best results
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice from 3-4 medium lemons, strained
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest from 2 lemons, finely grated
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85g, cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Prepare all ingredients: Zest lemons before juicing. Strain lemon juice to remove seeds. Cut butter into small pieces. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl near the stove.
  • In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until pale and well combined, about 1 minute.
  • Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt to the egg mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated.
  • Place saucepan over low to medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly and gently, for 8-10 minutes until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Check temperature with an instant-read thermometer - curd is ready at 170°F (77°C). If lumps form, remove from heat immediately and whisk vigorously.
  • Remove from heat and immediately add butter pieces. Whisk continuously until all butter melts and mixture is smooth.
  • Pour hot lemon curd through fine-mesh strainer into clean bowl. Use rubber spatula to push through all curd.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of warm curd to prevent skin forming. Cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  • Transfer to refrigerator and chill for 2 hours until completely set. Transfer to glass jars with tight-fitting lids for storage.

Notes

Lemon curd will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or can be frozen for up to 3 months. For gift giving, process in sterilized jars using water bath canning method for 15 minutes. Always use fresh lemon juice for best flavor - bottled juice will result in inferior taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 60kcalCarbohydrates: 7.3gProtein: 0.7gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1.8gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 25mgPotassium: 15mgSugar: 7gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword British spread, citrus curd, egg curd, homemade curd, lemon curd, lemon dessert, lemon spread
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