Homemade lemon curd is one of those things that seems difficult until you do it. Use a double-boiler or whisk the ingredients in a saucepan directly over moderate heat. I add a straining step at the end that takes care of any bits (zest and possible minor cooked egg issues) that may throw off the silken texture.
This recipe is tuned for Meyer lemons and how I usually serve curd, which is with berries and meringues, which are quite sweet. If you use regular lemons, you may want to increase the sugar. Lemon curd is also delicious served with scones, or used to fill a layer cake or fruit tart.
Meyer Lemon Curd
makes 1½ cups; Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- grated zest from 1 Meyer lemon
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice from 3–4 Meyer lemons strained of pulp and seeds
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
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Put eggs, sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan and whisk off heat for a couple minutes off until pale in color. Alternatively, use a double-boiler.
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Add the lemon juice, butter, and salt and cook over moderate heat until butter is melted and mixture thickens, about 8–10 minutes. (Temperature isn't essential to measure, but for reference target at least 170° F.) Pour through a sieve into a glass jar for storage. Refrigerate for up to a couple weeks.
Recipe Notes / Tips
- Any tangy fruit will make a great curd—lemon, blood orange, and cranberry-lime are ones I've tried.
- Make just enough and keep in the refrigerator, don't try to preserve this recipe. Curd is difficult to safely preserve via canning due to the variability of the acidity and presence of eggs and butter. Commercial lemon curds use lots of sugar and processed lemon juice instead of fresh, that's how they get away with it (and why it is not nearly as good as homemade curd).
