Mary’s Scratch-made Lemon Curd
The first time I had lemon curd was on a trip to Ireland. I stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast where our host served it up alongside homemade scones, and WOW. It was pure heaven. This is not an overstatement.
If you’ve had lemon curd before, you probably know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t tried this stuff yet, you are seriously and sorely missing out. What is lemon curd? It’s like a bolder, brighter version of lemon custard. It’s velvety smooth, tart and tangy, light and sweet, and buttery delicious.
Whether you serve it up with toast, waffles, scones (like my host), or something else altogether, this Lemon Curd recipe has got you covered.
As soon as I got home from that AirBNB, I bought a jar for myself. It wasn’t long before I discovered how easy it is to make lemon curd from scratch.
What’s the best kind of lemon for lemon curd? Hint: It’s Meyer lemons.
When I make homemade lemon curd, I prefer to use Meyer lemons, which taste like a cross between a traditional lemon and a mandarin orange. The fruit is tender and juicy with a thinner peel than a regular lemon. If Meyer lemons are not available, substitute Lisbon, Eureka, or Bearss lemons.
Want to take your freshly-made lemon curd over the moon? Pucker up and try your hand at my super-easy Lemon Meringue Pie Bites in Phyllo Cups recipe. They are so cute!
Mary’s Scratch-made Lemon Curd Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, preferably from Meyer lemons
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together ¼ cup sugar, the lemon zest, and the egg yolks. Set aside.
- In a heavy, medium-sized saucepan, bring the lemon juice and remaining ¼ cup sugar to a boil over medium heat. Gradually whisk half of the hot mixture into the yolk mixture.
- Add the egg yolk mixture to the remaining hot lemon mixture in the pot. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 3 to 4 minutes). Be careful not to overheat this mixture, or the eggs will “curdle” on the bottom of the pan. If this does happen to you, don’t worry! Just pass the curd through a sieve when you’re done to remove any cooked egg pieces.
- Transfer the lemon curd to a clean bowl. Gradually whisk in the butter until fully incorporated. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the curd, pressing down so the film touches the curd. This will prevent a crusty layer from forming on top of your curd.
- After it’s completely cool, store your lemon curd in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it. Your lemon curd will last for up to one week in the fridge.