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Lemon Curd

by:
July 11, 2013
4.4
14 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Makes 1 1/2 cups
Author Notes

Everyone needs a recipe for lemon curd, and this is the easiest one of them all. All of the ingredients go into the pot, and away you go. Don’t be afraid of cooking the egg mixture over direct heat: the lemon juice and sugar will prevent the eggs from scrambling even when the mixture starts to simmer. Use the yolkier version if you want egg whites for meringues or pavlova. Adapted from Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts by Alice Medrich (Artisan, 2012). —Alice Medrich

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Ingredients
  • 3 large eggs, or 1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks
  • Zest of 1 medium lemon
  • 1/2 cup strained fresh lemon juice (from about 3 medium lemons)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
Directions
  1. Set the strainer over a medium bowl.
  2. Whisk the eggs (or egg and yolks) in a small nonreactive saucepan to blend. Whisk in the lemon zest, juice, and sugar. Add the butter. Whisk over medium heat, reaching into the corners and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan, until the butter is melted and the mixture is thickened and beginning to simmer around the edges, then continue to whisk for about 10 seconds longer.
  3. Remove from the heat and scrape into the strainer, pressing gently on the solids. Scrape any lemon curd clinging to the underside of the strainer into the bowl.
  4. Refrigerate until chilled before using. Lemon curd keeps in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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My career was sparked by a single bite of a chocolate truffle, made by my Paris landlady in 1972. I returned home to open this country’s first chocolate bakery and dessert shop, Cocolat, and I am often “blamed” for introducing chocolate truffles to America. Today I am the James Beard Foundation and IACP award-winning author of ten cookbooks, teach a chocolate dessert class on Craftsy.com, and work with some of the world’s best chocolate companies. In 2018, I won the IACP Award for Best Food-Focused Column (this one!).

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30 Reviews

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Smaug April 1, 2024
For those of you into trying new things, I've been working on a pie filling that is kind of a cross between lemon curdfd and meringue; make the curd with just the yolks and cook in the normal manner (this recipe will do as well as another); cool slightly, whip the whites to soft peaks and fold together with the lemon curd; pour into prebaked crust and bake. I've been doing 15 min at 325, but I'm making 6 1/2" pies in a countertop oven so your timing might differ, also the temperature of your crust and filling when they go in the oven can vary quite a bit. The surface should appear dry, with some brown highlights, and it should be a bit jiggly in the center. It will rise high during baking (basically a souffle) and fall when it cools, but still be fairly puffy.
arosemond March 31, 2024
Just tried this and it is delicious! Prepared as written with three whole eggs. I had just a little more than the 1/2 c of lemon juice- my lemons were very juicy! I was a little worried at first because I saw a few white streaks in the pot when I was straining the curd. I thoughts the eggs cooked too much. But, it came out delicious. Next time, I’ll lower the heat.
MIckey June 5, 2023
Followed direction to a tee ... LOVED this .. VERY Yummy Lemon Curd!
Nate's N. February 15, 2023
Wow, this is so good. I had leftover egg yolks and an excess of lemons (big box store) and googled what to make with leftover egg yolks. All the results were too many steps and included a lot of extra ingredients - except this one.
So easy, no double boiler, nothing but eggs, sugar and lemon. Came out creamy with a little bit of tang, just what you want lemon curd to taste like. Just the thing for all of those blackberries and blueberries on sale that need sweetening. Thinking of toasted pound cake topped with lemon curd and fresh berries (and maybe a dollop of vanilla ice cream).
Nancy M. February 10, 2023
I have been remiss! If there was ever a recipe that I have used more than pizza dough or chocolate wacky cake, this is it. Long ago memorized, it's an integral part of life's lemon bag (box stores) bounty.
This recipe is not only goof proof it's delicious. Silky, fullsome yet light. Easily added to and, for my fridge at least, long keeping.
Make it a staple of your 'treat tastes'. An amazing bringer of smiles to faces.
Smaug January 7, 2022
After years of making lemon curd in a double boiler (a pretty slow process) I recently converted to a saucepan method, surprisingly little problem. I would recommend a silicone spatula for stirring (along with a whisk) to get into corners and clear the pan surface. A flat whisk also works better than a balloon whisk for corners, if your quantity is small enough. A lot of curd recipes call for adding the butter after it's cooked- this starts the cooling process to some extent; other than that I haven't seen that it makes much difference.
shush October 31, 2021
Add a pinch of salt!
DC's P. October 5, 2021
This is a really good tasty recipe and a great curd to have handy. It comes together in 10 minutes once you've juiced the lemons. I used the 3 whole egg recipe to put on the Lemon Bar Cheesecake (delicious and easy!) from this site.
Kriti G. July 5, 2020
I made this using egg yolk version. It is a bit too sour..what can I do to improve it?
Danna F. February 17, 2020
Straightforward recipe and works with ease. I only had two lemons so included one small blood orange. Worked great!
dianetoomey February 17, 2019
Best of all recipes I searched, meaning mid-range of ratios. Lemon curd recipes ranged from 4 whole eggs and 8 oz butter to 3 yolks only and 3 Tbps butter.
This one has excellent flavor and firms up a bit more (not as jiggly) when refrigerated. Borrowed a tip from another to use a food processor to make lemon zest sugar first, adding as instructed. It still comes out with the straining, so not sure it’s worth it, just had to wash up more items.
Rick February 4, 2017
Cooked to 170F (measured via infrared)....used 1 blood orange (for color = pink) + 1.5 lemons + zest of 2 lemons.....had made meringues & thus had 3 left over yokes, and so I went with the 3 yokes + 1 whole approach
Kayleigh January 8, 2017
I made the egg yolk version of this to accompany a pavlova, as a way of killing two birds with one stone: using the yolks, and topping the pavlova in utterly delicious fashion. I ended up having so much extra that I used it to swirl inside a lemon bundt cake as well. Even though I think I may have slightly overcooked the egg yolks, it was still a fantastic lemon curd. I've never made it before so this was a wonderful, easy to follow recipe for me to get into it!
Stephanie H. December 3, 2016
Excellent lemon curd! First recipe I've found that uses the whole egg--much more convenient! Cooked up thick and creamy.
Ana S. January 27, 2016
how much is 6 tbs butter in grams?
CarlaCooks January 27, 2016
1 tbs is 15g, so 90g for this recipe. I just made this last night using bergamot juice and I added 100g butter without any problems.
Melanie August 30, 2015
This was great, and so quick to make. I also like that I can use whole eggs. I stirred the zest in after straining. Thank you!
Rach May 19, 2015
HOT DIDDLY DANG I made this tonight and it's better than I expected. I think I used a little more lemon juice than the recipe called for (1-2 tbsp whoops^_^), and I used about a lemon's worth of zest in the pot and after straining added another third-lemon's worth of zest. My eggs were XL so I took out about a tablespoon's worth of egg white before whisking. I found this recipe after looking for an "easy" version of lemon curd (so many complicated recipes, so little time for frustration in my busy schedule). Definitely a winner.
Hiromi M. March 28, 2015
Tastes great! Like somebody else said, I added lemon zest after I strained the lemon curd.
Sandra March 22, 2015
Could one store this in the freezer for later use?
icharmeat August 3, 2017
i make a different recipe but mine is unharmed by freezing it.
SandraMostacci January 17, 2022
I’d be more inclined to can like jam.
Lo December 24, 2014
This recipe is easy and delicious.
I followed the recipe using 3 whole eggs but, did not strain, it's beautiful creamy and smooth without.
The flavor is tart, tangy, and sweet just like lemon curd should be.