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A jar of tangy lemon curd is surrounded by fresh lemons, lemon slices, and green leaves on a white scalloped tray.
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Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is a creamy, tangy spread that’s bursting with citrus flavor. It’s simple to make at home with just eggs, lemon juice, sugar and butter. A few careful steps lead to a silky, golden result.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Cooling Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade lemon curd, how to make lemon curd, lemon curd, lemon curd recipe, lemon curd recipe easy, recipe for lemon curd
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Bella Bucchiotti

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs whole
  • ½ Cup lemon juice from 4 to 6 lemons
  • ½ Cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • 6 Tablespoons butter

Instructions

  • Wash and dry your jars.
  • Wash the lemons to remove any pesticides and zest them until you have 1 tablespoon.
  • Add the lemon zest to the sugar and combine.
  • Juice the lemons, until you have ½ cup of juice.
  • In a saucepan, whisk eggs then add the sugar, zest mixture and juice.
  • Place pan on the burner and cook over low heat, taking care to heat the mixture slowly, avoiding curdling of the eggs while whisking continuously until the mixture reaches approximately 170°F or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in butter until incorporated.
  • Fill prepared jars with the curd and loosely place lids.
  • Allow to come to room temperature for about an hour. Tighten lid rings and keep refrigerated.

Notes

Keep the temperature low: Slow, gentle cooking over a low heat as the lemon curd cooks prevents the eggs from scrambling as the mixture thickens.
Stir constantly: Use a silicone whisk to mix the lemon curd continuously. This helps the curd thicken evenly without lumps.
Strain if needed: Use a fine mesh strainer to remove any small cooked egg bits.
Smaller jars for gifting: Use smaller jars if you want to gift some of your homemade lemon curd.

Nutrition

Calories: 659kcal | Carbohydrates: 114g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 501mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 441mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 108g | Vitamin A: 872IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 3mg

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