Lemon Curd (Printable)

Silky lemon curd from fresh lemons, eggs, sugar and butter—perfect for scones, tarts, cakes, or yogurt.

# What You Need:

01 - 4 large eggs

02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

03 - 3 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon zest and 1/2 cup juice)

04 - 1 cup granulated sugar

01 - In a heatproof bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until fully blended.

02 - Whisk in lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice until the mixture is smooth.

03 - Place the bowl over a saucepan with gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water.

04 - Whisk the mixture constantly over gentle heat until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

05 - Remove the bowl from heat and immediately whisk in cubed unsalted butter until fully incorporated and the curd is emulsified.

06 - Pour the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove zest and any cooked egg.

07 - Let the curd cool, then transfer into sterilized jars. Seal and refrigerate; use within two weeks.

01 -

The texture becomes gloriously silky if you whisk slowly and patiently, leaving you with a spoonable sunshine for any treat.
This curd rescued many brunches in my house, showing up to save everything from stale bread to plain yogurt with a tangy punch.

02 -

Once I let the bowl touch the simmering water and ended up with sweet lemony scrambled eggs—don’t rush the double boiler setup.
Discovering that straining the curd twice gives a restaurant-smooth texture was a total game changer.

03 -

Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start—lemon curd asks for constant attention once you begin.
For brighter flavor, roll the lemons on the counter before zesting and juicing—it releases the oils and makes a big difference.