Lemon Curd

For some reason this beautiful spring season has me craving all things citrus, particularly lemon. And so I apologize for two lemon posts in a row, but that’s just how it’s going to be. This recipe is quite a bit different from my last one, however. Where that one used lemon zest as a fresh compliment to other flavors, this recipe has lemon front and center.

I’ve made this lemon curd recipe many times and it has never failed me. I’ve read other recipes that vary slightly on one thing or another, but I just keep coming back to mine. It’s wonderful, it’s bright, and it’s insanely lemony.

It’s absolutely delicious!

With this post I’m going to provide a little how-to guide on making the lemon curd, rather than just posting the recipe. My thought is that maybe if you see how easy it is to make, you’ll hurry up and make some for yourself sooner rather than later. And you should, because it will seriously change your life. Okay, maybe it won’t change your life, but it will defintiely brighten your day.

Okay, are you ready?

First you need to zest some lemons, 3 to be exact. If you don’t own a microplane, please go out and buy one. I adore mine.

Next you need freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you aren’t going to use fresh lemon juice, then don’t even bother with this recipe. You’ll need 1 cup and depending on how juicy the lemons are, that’s 3 to 4 lemons.

Put the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/2 cup butter into a large, wide saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

Meanwhile, separate 10 egg yolks into a medium bowl. That’s a lot of egg yolks, I know. Mix the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar.

Then, once the lemon juice mixture has come to a boil, slowly temper it into the egg yolk mixture. Meaning, slowly add the hot mixture into the cold egg yolks while whisking continuously. Start with a very small amount to ensure the yolks don’t curdle, and gradually increase as the mixtures become more combined.

Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and set it over medium heat. Whisk constantly (you don’t want scrambled eggs) and the curd will slowly start to thicken. When the whisk leaves a trail in the curd, remove it from the heat.

As a finishing touch, add in 1/2 cup butter in cubes and let it melt into the curd. Oh my, that is looking good! And it smells incredible too.

Now you need to strain it into a shallow dish. Straining it removes the zest and any other clumps that may have formed, leaving a super smooth curd. Place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a film from forming and let it set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

And then, enjoy! I served this batch of lemon curd with scones (more on that to come, stay tuned), but lemon curd is a great fillings for cakes and tarts or as a spread on almost anything- toast, pancakes, muffins, you name it.

I even like to eat a little of it all by itself with a spoon directly from the fridge. Pure heaven!

Lemon Curd
From Cake Art
Makes 3 cups

1 cup butter, cut into cubes
1 cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
zest of 3 lemons
10 egg yolks

Add 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a wide saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occassionaly.

In another bowl, separate 10 egg yolks and combine with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Slowly temper the boiling lemon juice mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. When fully combined, return the mixture to the saucepan and continue to cook until the whisk leaves a trail in the curd. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup butter until melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and strain into a shallow dish. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the curd and let set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Store in the fridge for up to one week.