Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe

Homemade lemon curd is an absolute treat, and once you make your own, you will never want to buy store-bought again. This curd is thick, tangy, creamy, and sweet, Try it on desserts from cakes, cupcakes, pies, tarts, macarons, ice creams, and more.

The most popular cake filling for me as a cake decorator is usually fruit filling. I think fruit curd is often the most dreaded by most novice cake decorators. I was too! And that's not because it's hard to make lemon curd, No! It's just because of a wrong perception.

I've sat beside my mom, adding those little cubes of butter, as a kid for as long as I can remember and that was not hard. And yet, the first time I had an order for lemon curd cake filling - I was nervous! Why?

Well, cake decorating was new to me, so when other cake decorators were concerned and worried about lemon curd I became too! I inherited all the fears of my peers in the group.

So when I made lemon curd for the first time - I was mentally prepared for a disaster. But it was easy peasy. After all, I had done it before.

Moral of the story - learn from your own experiences - don't give in to peer fear.

What is a fruit curd?

To me, fruit curd is like a dessert on its own. I can eat it out of a jar with a spoon. It tastes delicious on its own! BUT, you can use it for many things from cake fillings, pie fillings, on breakfast toast, donuts, bagels. I love it as a filling in my lemon macaron with lemon buttercream too. Have you tried a lemon cake with lemon curd cake yet? Always a hit with people who love the lemon flavor. I eat lemon curd plain with crackers too!

Fruit filling vs. fruit curd

One must make sure they have all the necessary information to make it right.

A fruit filling is usually the easiest to make. It mostly involves a fruit, some sweetener, and a starch, which come beautifully together into a thick gorgeous fruit filling. It looks and tastes beautiful when done right. As I shared with you in my Blueberry (Cake) Filling, cherry cake filling or simple Strawberry (cake) Filling.

Fruit curd, on the other hand, requires a bit more tact because it involves a citrus fruit like lemon, lime or orange, a few egg yolks and emulsification with butter. Unlike a filling, you can't just put it all in a pan and cook it. You need to exercise a bit more caution. Again it's not difficult; it only requires caution.

How do I use this easy lemon curd? What can I use this homemade lemon curd in? 

Lemon curd can be eaten just out of the jar or as an ingredient in other recipes.

• Spread it on breakfast toast, muffins, scones, trumpets.
• Use it as a filling in cakes, cupcakes, or macarons
• Make my ultimate Lemon Tart
• Add it to empty shortcrust pastry shells for mini lemon tarts.
• Spread it in a pie pan and top with meringue for a lemon meringue pie. 
• Combine with cream cheese for a cream cheese lemon tart
• Use it to make my 3 ingredients no-churn lemon ice cream.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Lemons - Use the measure of lemon juice not the number of fruits when making this recipe. So if a method says ¾ cup juice (3 to 4 lemons) usually the number of lemons is a guide - the actual measurement you want to use is ¾ cup. This can make a big difference.
• Caster sugar - Caster sugar is usually a fine grain sugar. Use a fine grain sugar that will dissolve quickly in the eggs. If you don't find caster sugar pulse the regular sugar in a food processor and that will help.
• Egg yolks - The color of yolks will determine the end color of your lemon curd. So if you use light color yolks, you will have pale yellow lemon curd. A bright golden yellow or orange is much preferred. I'm using free-range eggs that have beautiful colors but not as golden yellow or orange as I'd like them to be.
• Artificial colors - I never use any artificial coloring in my lemon curd. But some commercial kitchens do add artificial color to their lemon curd. So do not presume that the store-bought is better. There is no comparing homemade to store purchased.

These do make the best GIFTS too!! Holidays, Christmas, Mother's Day.

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Step by step instructions (pin)

• Measure all ingredients before you start. Cut the butter into cubes - keep chilled.
• Juice the lemons - Place lemons in the microwave for 10 seconds before you cut and squeeze this will make it easy. Warm the lemon juice for about 30 secs - set aside

• Use a double boiler or make your own - To make your own add an inch of water to the saucepan with a heatproof bowl on top. The water should not touch the top bowl.
  Tip - we use a double-boiler to prevent the eggs from getting scrambled with direct heat.
• In the top bowl of your double boiler - add yolks, egg, salt, cornstarch, and sugar. Whisk until light and fluffy - sugar should almost melt.
• Gradually pour in the warm lemon juice and zest. Now place the bowl on the double boiler.
• Continue to stir on medium-high heat. The mixture should cook with just the steam from the water in the saucepan below.
  Tip - if you cook on low it will take forever to thicken. Since we are cooking on a double boiler you can keep the heat medium-high and stir continuously.
• After about 10 to 12 minutes - you will notice the foam that was caused by whipping the egg mixture will slowly disappear. The mixture will start to thicken.
• Continue to stir until it coats the back of your wooden spoon. Remove from heat.

• Gradually add cubes of butter one at a time. Make sure each piece is well incorporated. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
  Tip - the cool butter stops the cooking and makes it smooth and velvety. Add it slow but not too slow or the last of the butter won't incorporate in cooled curd.
• Once all the butter has been incorporated, strain it through a mesh or a strainer to remove the zest. This will also give you a smooth creamy curd.
• I like to transfer mine to a mason jar.

Storage

• The curd is best stored in a mason or glass jar in the fridge. The presence of eggs in curd makes it a perishable filling, so any item that has homemade lemon curd such as cakes and pie needs to be placed in the fridge.
• Avoid keeping fruit curd or citrus fillings in metal containers as the lemon can react with the metal.
• Egg yolks can react with metal such as aluminum and cause them to become green in color.

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Frequently asked questions 

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• Mini lemon cheesecake tarts
• Lemon curd tart
• Strawberry lemon macarons
• Lemon crinkle cookies
• Lemon butter cookies

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