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+ servings
jar of lemon curd with lemons behind and toast to side
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5 from 2 votes

Lemon curd

Lemon curd has such a delicious citrus tang that's perfect both spread on toast and in various desserts/baked goods.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: British
Servings: 8 approx, depending how used
Calories: 11kcal
Author: Caroline's Cooking
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Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 lemon zest ie from 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup lemon juice approx 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoon sugar or a little more, to taste
  • 3 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small chunks

Instructions

  • Use a bowl for the curd that will rest in a small saucepan without touching the bottom of the pan. Boil water for the pan so that it will come part way up the side of the bowl when it is submerged but without over-flowing.
  • Beat together the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice and zest, and sugar in a small bowl. Add the chunks of butter.
  • Rest the bowl in the pan of hot water so that the water comes up the side without overflowing from the pan or into the bowl. Simmer over a low heat to keep the water hot. Stir the lemon-butter mixture regularly as the butter melts then constantly as the mixture starts to thicken.
  • It's ready when thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon, around 5min. Remove the lemon curd from the heat and transfer to a jar or other container. Strain if you think you may have any stray lumps of egg in the mixture otherwise it's not necessary. You can either use proper canning method, or cover the top of the curd with cling wrap/film until it cools slightly before removing the cling wrap and putting the lid on (it needs to be airtight or it will form a skin).

Notes

This makes a little over ½ cup (120ml) of lemon curd. 

Nutrition

Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Sugar: 2g