Lemon Curd
This is a base preparation that relies on the balance of acid, fat, and sugar. When made correctly, it should coat the back of a spoon and hold its shape once chilled.
Temperature control is your primary responsibility.
Avoid high heat at all costs. Using a double boiler prevents the bottom of the curd from seizing before the center has thickened.
- Medium stainless steel bowl
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Rubber spatula
What goes in.
- 3large eggs
- 2large egg yolks
- 3/4 cupgranulated sugar
- 1/2 cupfreshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsplemon zest
- 6 tbspunsalted butter, cubed and chilled
Controlled Thickening
Cook the mixture until it reaches 170°F (77°C) or until it coats the back of a spoon. The curd will continue to set as it cools, so stop the heat before it looks like a stiff jam.
The method.
Setup the double boiler
Fill a small saucepan with an inch of water and bring to a simmer. Place your mixing bowl over the pan, ensuring the bottom does not touch the water.
Whisk base ingredients
Combine the eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in the bowl. Whisk continuously and steadily.
Cook until thickened
Keep whisking for about 10 minutes. The mixture will transition from thin and frothy to a dense, opaque liquid that clings to the wire whisk.
Incorporate butter
Remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk in the cold butter cubes one by one; the residual heat will emulsify the butter into the custard, creating a glossy sheen.
Strain and chill
Press the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container to remove any cooked egg bits or zest. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate until firm.
Other turns to take.
Lime or Grapefruit Curd
Replace the lemon juice and zest with an equal amount of lime or grapefruit juice and zest for a sharper or more bitter profile.
Passion Fruit Curd
Use 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup strained passion fruit pulp for a more complex, floral acidity.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use a non-reactive bowl like stainless steel; aluminum will give the curd a metallic, off-putting taste.
If you see small lumps of cooked egg, don't panic—the sieve will remove them entirely.
Zest the lemons before juicing them to save effort.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
Avoid it. The flavor profile of bottled juice is too sharp and lacks the aromatic oils found in fresh zest.
Why did my curd separate?
The heat was likely too high or you stopped whisking, causing the eggs to scramble rather than emulsify.
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