How To Make Simple Lemon Curd At Home

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It's Squeezy to Make Homemade Lemon Curd

Simple lemon curd is silky smooth, tart, and tangy yet sweet and buttery rich. It spreads like butter and lends elegance and sophistication to anything you put on.

At first mention, though, doesn't it sound kind of weird? Curd? Isn't that what Miss Muffet ate? This is not that kind of curd.

I always thought lemon curd sounded hoity-toity, like something you should eat with a fancy spoon and your pinky extended. Have you priced a jar? Holy cow! It has earned its hoity-toity reputation!

Lemon curd is so easy to make at home and much less expensive, even at the current price of eggs! When you use fresh lemons and creamery butter, homemade tastes even better than the fanciest brands!

It's bitterly cold out today as I write this, and tonight's lows are predicted to be -23 degrees, so I thought it would be a good day to make something sunny in my kitchen!

Amazingly Simple Lemon Curd With Just 5 Ingredients

This is a super easy lemon curd recipe! No stress, no worries. It's not hard or expensive to make at home with just a few simple ingredients and no special equipment.

In GBsKitchen, we don't do fussy. Some food writers go deep into the molecular structure of egg yolks like a science project. Like all precise temperatures and measurements, I'm here to tell you we can do it nice and easy! (Like Tina Turner!) Ready?

You will want fresh lemons. They do not need to be big, fancy, five-star lemons. Here's a great place to use bagged or "imperfect" lemons. DO THIS PART FIRST. Use the fine side of a grater to "zest" the lemon peel and remove just the yellow part. You don't want to use the white part underneath; it's bitter.

I just got an actual zester, and I don't think I needed it! In fact, I have also used a potato peeler and a sharp knife with excellent zest-making results!

Set the lemon zest aside to add to the lemon curd. (If you're lazy, lost the grater, in a hurry, or all three, you can buy lemon zest in the spice aisle. No harm, no foul. )

Hint: Next, as you get ready to assemble everything for this simple lemon curd recipe, plop those lemons into a bowl of hot water or nuke them for a half-minute or so. Once they're warm, roll them around on the counter, pressing firmly. When you do this, they will yield considerably more juice.

This Recipe Uses Just The Yolks of The Eggs

I chose a yolks-only lemon curd recipe because I want to make Coconut Macaroons for our grandkids!

There's so much information about lemon curd I forgot who said what! However, it turns out it's not a bad idea to use yolks only. Whites and yolks do not always play nice with each other.

Want to use whole eggs? Dozens of cooks will tell you how. Want easy? Stick with me!

Easy Stovetop Method For Simple Lemon Curd

Start by thoroughly whisking the egg yolks and sugar together. You don't need a double boiler if a) you have a nice heavy pot and b) if you have some degree of patience. If you have neither, a simple stainless steel bowl that fits on a pot of boiling water will work (but it will take almost as long.)

Place the egg/sugar mixture on the stove on a low/low medium setting and begin stirring. When it gets a little warm, add the lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt.

Now stand there and keep stirring. Don't quit stirring. The mixture will start out opaque, but as it continues to heat slowly, it will become slightly more translucent. You will know it's close when the mixture coats the back of the spoon.

Do not let it come to a boil. A few plopping bubbles are ok, but now stop. Next, remove the mixture from the heat and stir the butter in a few pats at a time until completely melted.

I poured the mixture right into a jar and put the lid on it. Cover it with plastic film if you want to put it in a bowl. Press it directly on the surface to avoid the skin that will form.

The Reward For Patience Is Licking The Spoon

Seriously, licking the spoon and pan of lemon curd while it's still warm ranks right up there with snuggling. OK, maybe not quite as awesome, but close.

So now that you have this lovely concoction, what do you do with it? It makes a splendid cake filling, the filling in a jelly roll, or the center of a thumbprint cookie. It is traditionally served on biscuits or scones and sometimes accompanied by clotted cream if you want something super fancy.

It's also wonderful to warm up a bit and spoon over ice cream or pound cake. In fact, one of the simplest ways I enjoy it is by simply sneaking a spoonful from the fridge.

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

Yield: One pint

Simple Lemon Curd

Print

Incredible smooth and silky spread that's tart but sweet and buttery for desserts and more

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 3-4 fresh lemons zested and juiced
• 1/2 cup butter cut into pats
• pinch salt

Instructions

1. Use the fine side of a grater (or a zester if you have one) to remove the zest from lemons. Use only the yellow part. Set zest aside to put in the lemon curd.
2. Put lemons in a bowl of hot water or microwave whole lemon until warm, then roll on the counter to soften.
3. Extract the juice with a juicer or squeeze the lemon half between your hands. Remove seeds. Measure 1/3 cup of juice.
4. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until well blended, then put on a low-medium or low stovetop or double boiler.
5. When the egg/sugar mixture begins to warm, add lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
6. Cook slowly over low heat, constantly stirring until the mixture begins to look translucent and coats the back of the spoon. Do not let it boil.
7. Once bubbles begin to form as it approaches boiling, remove from heat and stir the butter in a few pats at a time until completely melted.
8. Pour into a wide-mouth pint jar and put the lid on immediately. If you pour the mixture into a bowl, put plastic film directly on the surface so a film will not form on top.
9. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 weeks.

I find great joy in feeding people, looking for the best in everyone I meet, and encouraging each person to become their best self every day. I've been doing this as long as I can remember, and it gets me through the most difficult times. I would love to hear from you and find out what helps you weather life's storms!

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Love GB (Betty Streff)

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