Lemon Curd (Print Version)

Tangy-sweet lemon curd, silky and buttery, made with fresh zest and juice—ideal for scones, cakes, or yogurt.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy & Eggs

01 - 4 large eggs
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

→ Citrus

03 - Zest of 3 large lemons (about 1 tablespoon)
04 - Juice of 3 large lemons (about 1/2 cup)

→ Pantry

05 - 1 cup granulated sugar

# How To Make:

01 - In a heatproof bowl, thoroughly whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until the mixture is uniform.
02 - Add lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice, continuing to whisk until fully blended.
03 - Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
04 - Whisk constantly while cooking until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
05 - Remove the bowl from heat and immediately whisk in cubed butter until completely melted and the curd is smooth.
06 - Pour the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove zest and any cooked egg solids.
07 - Allow the lemon curd to cool, then transfer to sterilized jars. Refrigerate and consume within 2 weeks.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Homemade lemon curd has a silky texture and pure lemon flavor store-bought versions just can’t match.
  • It’s ridiculously versatile – spoon it over scones or sneak it into cakes for an instant upgrade.
02 -
  • If you stop whisking for even a few seconds, the eggs can scramble – so don’t get distracted by texts or doorbells.
  • Letting the butter melt off the heat creates a silkier curd than dumping it in earlier.
03 -
  • Use fresh lemons over bottled juice – the zest alone makes a night-and-day difference.
  • Stir constantly with patience; the transformation is slow, but rushing leaves you with runny curd.

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