I’m clearly on a lemon kick over here! If you’ve ever bought lemon curd from the store, it doesn’t compare to this scratch-made lemon curd that is tangy, sweet and creamy. You only need 5 ingredients and it comes together in 10 minutes. I wanted to make something quickly to put on top of my whole wheat berry/lemon scones and this has been a delicious treat.
What is lemon curd? It’s a rich dessert topping or spread that is buttery and sweet with a super intensely tart lemon flavor. My grandma loves everything lemon, this always reminds me of her! You can keep it in the fridge and top your scones or muffins with it, even swirl a tad in your greek yogurt in the morning or use as a filling for a cake.
You really only need 5 ingredients!
- Organic Egg Yolks
- Fresh Lemons
- Organic Turbinado Sugar
- Salt
- Organic Butter
* I added a dash of bourbon vanilla for a little extra depth but you can skip
How to make the Lemon Curd:
Make sure you’re using all of these ingredients listed above - each serves a critical purpose for not only the flavor but the thickening as well. The egg yolks thicken the curd (just like they do in a pudding or creme brûlée). Make sure you’re using real lemons because you’ll need the zest as well for that extra punch. The sugar and salt create balance and the butter makes it super creamy which you definitely don’t want to miss out on.
You’ll need to use a double boiler. If you don’t have one, don’t worry… you can easily make one! Make it by placing a heatproof glass bowl on top of a larger pot. Make sure the bottom of the top bowl does not touch the simmering water beneath. Don’t try to cook over direct heat, it will burn!
One more tip, if you don’t want it to have that metallic aftertaste make sure you stir it with a silicone whisk or even a wooden spoon.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter (softened to room temperature)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Fill the bottom of your pot (double boiler), with 1/2 inches of water. Place on high heat and let it come to a boil. Then reduce to low heat and keep it at a simmer.
2. Place the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt into the top pot of your double boiler. Using a silicone whisk or wooden spoon, whisk until it’s completely blended then continue to whisk or stir as the curd cooks. Make sure you keep it moving so the yolks don’t curdle. You want to keep whisking until the mixture becomes thick, at least 10 minutes. If it’s not thickening, turn up the heat and continue to whisk.
3. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the butter, it will melt from the heat of the curd. Pour the mixture into a glass jar and put a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the curd so it’s touching. This prevents a skin from forming on the top. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Once it’s cooled, the plastic wrap can be taken off.
4. Refrigerate for up to about 10 - 12 days. Enjoy!
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