Best Lemon Curd Recipe
Lemon curd is an incredibly delicious and thick citrus packed filling or spread. It’s vibrant yellow color and tangy lemon taste makes it a great addition to many recipes.
Servings: 24
Calories: 90kcal
Ingredients
- 4 lemons
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup lemon zest from 3-4 lemons
- 1 cup lemon juice from juicing 4 lemons
Instructions
MICROWAVE INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt butter in medium glass bowl in the microwave. Add sugar and stir. Microwave 1 minute.
- Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Microwave 2 minutes.
- Beat eggs and yolks until smooth. Pour out about 1/3 cup of hot lemon butter mixture into a 1 cup measuring cup. Add in about 1/4 of the egg mixture. Stir constantly, then pour into the bowl with the rest of the lemon mixture. Stir, then microwave for 1 minute.
- Repeat process, tempering eggs with a small amount of lemon mixture so that the eggs don’t cook. Stir after each 1 minute interval in the microwave. Continue until all of the eggs are mixed in.
- Microwave 2 minutes, stopping at 1 minute to stir again. Add in vanilla extract.
- Run mixture through strainer, if desired. I like to do this when the lemon curd is hot because it’s quick & easy. Straining yields a lovely smooth lemon curd, so I highly recommend it.
- Transfer lemon curd to jars and refrigerate. Curd will thicken upon cooling.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium sized saucepan. Turn on medium-low heat and stir occasionally as mixture warms up. Cook about 10 minutes until mixture begins to gently bubble.
- Beat the eggs until smooth. Ladle out about 1/3 cup of the hot lemon butter mixture into a 1 cup measuring cup. Let cool 1 minute. Add in about 1/4 of the egg mixture. Stir constantly, and then pour it into the bowl with the rest of the lemon mixture. Reduce heat slightly.
- Repeat the process, tempering the eggs with a small amount of lemon mixture so that the eggs don’t cook. Stir often. Continue until all of the eggs are mixed in.
- Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Add in the vanilla extract.
- Run the mixture through a strainer, if desired. I like to do this when the lemon curd is still hot because it’s quick & easy. Straining yields a lovely smooth lemon curd, so I highly recommend doing this.
- Transfer the lemon curd to jars and refrigerate. The curd will thicken upon cooling.
Video
Notes
Yields 3 cups of freshly made lemon curd.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg