This past summer my Swedish parents both turned 90 years old. They had “adopted” me 40 years ago while I was living in Sweden and attending graduate school. I return almost yearly to visit them, and count it a huge honor to be part of their family.
In preparation for their birthday celebration, I was tasked with putting together the cakes. With whipped cream, Swedish strawberries, (which taste better than any other berry I have tasted), and wild blueberries from the yard for decoration, the homemade layer cake was filled with delectable lemon curd. None of us had the time, space, or tools at the cabin to make lemon curd from scratch, but instead used jars of curd imported from England.
Upon returning home, that fresh, zesty, decadent taste of lemon curd invaded my thoughts and dreams. I just had to learn how to make it at home! After weeks of research and trial (not quite failed, but certainly not amazing) recipes, THIS is now my go-to lemon curd.
Since you will be using the zest in addition to the juice, make sure you purchase organic lemons, and wash them well. This is also the type of recipe where it is beneficial to do a little prep work in advance. Once you get cooking the curd, you won’t have the freedom to stop to get ingredients or utensils.
Pull together:
- 4 clean half-pint jars and lids
- a sharp knife
- a zester or small grater
- citrus juicer or reamer
- a whisk
- several bowls
- a medium heavy-bottomed sauce pan
- kitchen gloves
- heat-resistant spatula
- fine mesh sieve
- and your ingredients — eggs, 6-8 lemons, COLD butter, sugar, vanilla
NOW you are ready to begin.
Whisk the eggs well, and set them aside.
Roll those freshly washed lemons under your palm until they soften — this will release the juice, so you get more from each lemon with less effort. Using the zester/grater, remove just the yellow zest from several of the lemons, until you have at least 3 tablespoons. Four tablespoons of zest is even better. Once you have enough zest, you can juice the lemons.
To cube the butter, cut the stick into 8-9 slices, then make a cut lengthwise. Roll the butter like a log, and make another lengthwise cut. Separate the cubes.
In a small bowl, combine the zest and sugar. Rub them together until they are totally combined. This releases the flavorful oils in the lemon zest and infuses it into the sugar. I put on kitchen gloves to do this, since the goal is not a sugar scrub for my hands. 😂
Now you can transfer the zesty sugar and lemon juice into a saucepan. Over medium-low heat, begin warming the mixture. Stream in the beaten eggs, and stir, stir, STIR. This is not a time to multitask! Once it begins to thicken, you can test to see if it has cooked long enough. Swipe your finger over the back of the spoon or spatula. When the line your finger left remains, it’s ready. If the line closes in, give it another couple of minutes.
Once it is ready, put the sieve over a bowl. Press the lemon mixture through the sieve, removing all the pieces of zest and any egg white that might have cooked into a clump. Return to the saucepan and warm gently. Add the butter and vanilla. With the spatula, beat the curd until all the butter is melted, and the curd itself is smooth and shiny.
Taste the curd, and if it seems like it needs a pinch of salt, add it. I typically use salted butter, so that is sufficient for my tastes. However, avoid using traditional table salt. For some scientific reason that I don’t understand, table salt has a harsh flavor that will overwhelm the brightness of the curd. Use finely ground pink himalayan salt, if you need to add some.
Fill the half-pint jars. Depending on the size of the eggs, and how much you sample, it should fill about 3 1/2 jars. Refrigerate and use within a week, or freeze for longer storage. (If you choose to freeze the lemon curd, leave a generous space at the top of the jars, allowing for expansion.)
How should you use the lemon curd? Be creative! But here are some suggestions:
- smear on freshly baked scones or banana bread
- top pancakes
- stir into plain greek yogurt
- plop on top of vanilla ice cream
- brush on chicken, top with fresh rosemary, and roast
- make a light and fresh cocktail (put 4 Tbsp lemon curd, 1 ounce white rum, 6 ice cubes into a shaker, and shake until your hands feel like they are going to freeze, then strain into a glass)
- or use as filling for birthday cakes to celebrate those you love!
Lemon Curd
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 pints 1x
Description
Rich, yet light. Easy, yet decadent. Lemon curd to make at home.
Ingredients
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, cubed
3–4 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Wash 4 half pint jars and lids. Get all ingredients together, and prepare everything:
In a small bowl, whisk eggs and set aside. Wash lemons well, roll them under your palm to release the juice, then remove the zest using a fine grater, being sure you don’t get the white pith. Juice the lemons.
To cube butter, slice cold butter into 8-9 slices, then slice lengthwise. Roll butter stick and cut again, then separate the little cubes. Set aside.
In a bowl (with kitchen gloves on), rub the sugar and lemon zest together.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together the zest and sugar, and the lemon juice. Over medium-low heat, heat together, and gradually stream in the eggs. Stir constantly! Once the sauce is thick enough to cling to the back of a spatula or spoon, remove from heat. (When swiping a finger through the sauce on the spoon, the “line” should remain.)
Press through a sieve to remove all solids, then return to the saucepan. Heat gently, then stir in the butter and vanilla. Remove from heat, and allow to cool at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Spoon into half pint jars. If the lemon curd is to be frozen, make sure to leave plenty headspace for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Notes
Serve lemon curd as filling for cakes or muffins, spread on toast, scones, or banana breaad. Stir into greek yoghurt or on top of ice cream.
For a savory entrée, try brushing a little lemon curd on chicken thighs, lay a sprig of rosemary on top, and roast.
Make a light and fresh cocktail by shaking together 4 Tbsp lemon curd, 1 ounce white rum, and 6 ice cubes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
