This is a quick and easy lemon curd recipe, it doesn't use a double boiler, so it cooks much faster, and the results are a very thick and creamy tangy curd.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword curd, lemon
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 20 minutesminutes
Servings 2cups
Calories 40kcal
Author Camila Hurst
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
6tbspunsalted butter at room temperature84 g
2/3cupgranulated sugar133 g
4large eggs
1/2cuplemon juice120 ml
6tbsplemon zest30 g
1/4tspsalt
Instructions
Lemon Curd
To make the Lemon Curd, in a bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat for another minute, until creamy.
Next, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix, making sure the first egg is incorporated before adding the next. Add the lemon juice, zest and salt and mix on low speed until combined. The mixture might look separated and that’s okay.
Pour it into a small saucepan with a heavy bottom and place it over medium-low heat.
Make sure you don’t let the curd come to a boil at any point, and don’t stop stirring at any point either, because that will lead to the eggs curdling, and the curd will taste like scrambled eggs.
Heat the curd slowly until a candy thermometer reads 170ºF (76ºC). If you don’t have a thermometer, the curd should be thick and coat the back of a spoon. Once you achieve a nice thick curd, remove it to a bowl and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The curd will set and get very thick as it cools.
Notes
Note 1: Emphasizing the need to use a pan with a heavy bottom and keep the heat low or medium-low. This will ensure the curd doesn't taste eggy.Note 2: The reason why we beat the eggs with the butter and sugar before cooking, is because that helps speed up the denaturation process of the eggs, which will prevent the curd from having an eggy taste, it will prevent the eggs in the mixture from becoming scrambled eggs. This method also allows for the curd to be cooked without having to use a double boiler, and way faster. A lot of other methods just put everything in the pan together, but whenever I try those methods, I find that eggy aftertaste of the curd to be unpleasant, which is why I vouch for this method.