Home made Lemon Curd is simple, elegant, versatile, and made with 5 on a regular basis substances. This beautiful lemon dessert is sunshine on a spoon!
I took the youngsters to a film final weekend and had to decide on between chocolate or candy & bitter candies within the youngsters popcorn combo I ordered every of us. #foreveryoung It solely took me a second to confidently reply “candy and bitter“.
I’m a chocolate lover by means of and thru, however when given the selection I’m going puckery-sweet, each time.
It ought to come as no shock then, that certainly one of my very favourite desserts is home made Lemon Curd. This 5 ingredient lemon dessert recipe as shiny, creamy, candy, tart, and easy because it seems to be. I name it “sunshine on a spoon” for apparent causes!
What’s Lemon Curd?
If I have been to clarify what Lemon Curd is to my youngsters, I’d inform them its lemon pudding. If I have been to inform y’all, I’d add that lemon curd is an egg-thickened dessert recipe that’s traditionally served as a diffusion. It’s intensely lemony, easy and creamy, and the right steadiness of candy and tart.
In a phrase? IRRESISTIBLE.
Whether or not you dollop it on high of a biscuit, scone, or toast, scoop it up with graham crackers or, my private favourite — eat it straight off a spoon — Lemon Curd is simple, elegant, versatile, and make forward. Put together then retailer for as much as 2 weeks within the fridge, or freeze for as much as 3 months.
Lemon Curd is the right spring dessert to serve at wedding ceremony and child showers, for Easter, and each event in between. It’s gluten free, grain free, and might simply be made dairy-free, too!
Components Wanted
Raid your fridge, pantry, and lemon tree (in the event you’ve received one!) for the 5, on a regular basis substances you’ll have to make home made lemon curd:
- Eggs: each entire eggs plus further egg yolks present construction to the lemon curd, in addition to a sunshine-yellow shade.
- Lemon juice: use recent lemon juice vs bottled. You’ll want 4-5 lemons for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar: for that craveable, sweet-tart taste combo.
- Salt: only a sprint to steadiness the recipe.
- Chilly butter: offers the lemon curd a shiny end. Many lemon curd recipes name for six+ Tablespoons of butter, although I believe 4 Tablespoons supplies richness whereas preserving a mouthwatering, puckery-lemon taste. Be happy to make use of vegan butter in the event you want it.
- Vanilla extract: only a drizzle rounds out the flavour of the lemon curd and cuts out any sharp sourness.
Lemon Curd Makes use of
Like I mentioned, Lemon Curd is a particularly versatile lemon dessert. Right here’s how one can get pleasure from it:
- As “pudding” — scoop right into a cup then eat with a spoon!
- Spoon into mini pavlovas to make Berries in a Cloud.
- Combine with vanilla ice cream.
- Combine with whipped cream to create whippy Lemon Fruit Dip.
- Layer with whipped cream, blueberries, and graham crackers to create Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake.
- Dollop on high of gluten free pancakes or waffles with recent berries.
- Make no-bake dessert cups with lemon curd, crushed graham crackers, whipped cream, and recent berries.
- Dip into with graham crackers or shortbread cookies.
- Layer with cubed Gluten Free Angel Meals Cake and recent berries in mason jars.
Prime Ideas
I’ve made this recipe numerous occasions over time and have amassed a couple of key suggestions. Right here’s what you must know!
- Maintain the warmth low: the bottom of Lemon Curd is eggs, so to keep away from scrambling them hold the warmth on the stovetop low / medium-low whereas cooking the lemon curd.
- Use recent lemon juice: do your self an enormous favor and use recent lemons. Since there’s solely 5 substances, and one of many principal ones is lemon, you’ll wish to use recent vs bottled.
- Don’t skip straining: you’ll want to move the lemon curd by means of a high quality mesh sieve after cooking to catch any bits of egg. This ensures a silky easy texture.
- Maintain stirring: it is a recipe you received’t wish to stroll away from whereas cooking. Stir the lemon curd slowly but always with a whisk till it’s thickened and cooked by means of.
- Cowl with plastic wrap: place a chunk of plastic wrap instantly over the floor of the lemon curd (vs the container you pour it into) to keep away from a pores and skin from forming on high because it cools.
Okay, able to dive into these bowls of sunshine?!
Attempt Gluten Free Lemon Bars!
How you can Make Home made Lemon Curd
Step 1: Whisk the eggs.
To a bowl, ideally with a lip for straightforward pouring, add 3 massive eggs plus 4 massive egg yolks then whisk vigorously till easy and put aside. I like to make use of a milk frother to make sure the eggs are as easy as attainable.
Step 2: Warmth lemon juice, sugar, and salt.
In a small or medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan, add recent lemon juice, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt then whisk to mix. Warmth over medium-heat till the sugar has dissolved, 2-3 minutes.
Tip: you’ll know the sugar has dissolved when the combination turns into clear with a tinge of yellow, on account of the lemon juice.
Step 3: Mood the eggs.
Subsequent, mood the eggs. This implies, add a portion of the recent lemon-sugar combination to the chilly eggs whereas whisking vigorously to carry the temperature of the eggs up. This fashion they received’t scramble whereas cooking the lemon curd on the range.
Take away the pan from the range then slowly stream ~3/4 cup of the lemon-sugar combination into the eggs whereas whisking vigorously. It’s high quality if the egg combination foams up whereas whisking.
Step 4: Add the tempered eggs to the pan.
Flip the warmth right down to medium-low then place the pan with the remaining lemon-sugar combination again onto the range. Slowly stream the egg combination into the pan whereas whisking vigorously. Once more, it’s high quality if the egg combination foams — the bubbles will go down.
Tip: Make sure you slowly stream the egg combination into the pan vs pour all of it in without delay.
Cook dinner whereas whisking repeatedly for 4-5 minutes or till the lemon curd has thickened. It can thicken the entire sudden close to the tip. In the event you’d prefer to take a temperature, the lemon curd must be between 175-180 levels when accomplished.
Step 5: Pressure the lemon curd.
Use a spatula to scrape the recent lemon curd right into a high quality mesh sieve set over a glass bowl then press it by means of the sieve.
The sieve will catch any bits of cooked eggs to make sure your remaining lemon curd texture is easy and creamy.
Step 6: Stir in butter and vanilla extract.
The ultimate step is to stir in chilly butter till melted in two additions, adopted by a splash of fine vanilla extract.
Cowl the Lemon Curd with a chunk of saran wrap instantly over the floor to forestall a pores and skin from forming because it chills. Voila! You might have Lemon Curd!
The Lemon Curd is edible heat (and tremendous scrumptious, truly) however will thicken to it’s remaining, thick and creamy consistency after a couple of hours of chilling within the fridge. After that, it’s prepared for no matter you have got deliberate (aka, get that spoon prepared)! 😉
Storage Ideas
- Ready Lemon Curd will hold in a glass container with an hermetic lid for as much as 2 weeks within the fridge.
- To freeze: chill the Lemon Curd utterly then scoop right into a gallon dimension freezer Ziplock bag and freeze flat for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge.
Lemon Curd Recipe FAQ
Why is my Lemon Curd runny?
The Lemon Curd will likely be runny when scorching and can thicken because it cools. If the Lemon Curd continues to be runny after chilling, doubtless it was not cooked to a scorching sufficient temperature. Lemon Curd must be cooked to between 175 and 180 levels.
Is Lemon Curd the identical as lemon pie filling?
Lemon Curd isn’t the identical factor as lemon pie filling. Lemon Pie, Lemon Bar, and even Lemon Meringue Pie filling include thickeners corresponding to cornstarch or flour.
Can I exploit bottled lemon juice?
As a result of lemon is such a distinguished taste and ingredient in Lemon Curd, I don’t suggest utilizing pre-juiced / bottled lemon juice.
Why does my Lemon Curd style eggy?
That is disheartening and I’ve had it occur a number of occasions. Lemon Curd can style eggy when it’s cooked over too excessive of warmth, or over-cooked. Maintain the warmth at medium-low or low warmth whereas cooking the Lemon Curd to forestall this from taking place. I’ll say that the vanilla extract helps cowl any overly eggy taste if that occurs!
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Home made Lemon Curd Recipe
Description
Home made Lemon Curd is simple, elegant, versatile, and made with 5 on a regular basis substances. This beautiful lemon dessert is sunshine on a spoon!
Components
- 3 massive eggs
- 4 egg yolks, from 4 massive eggs
- 3/4 cup recent lemon juice, 4-5 lemons
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons chilly butter, minimize into cubes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Put together: place a high quality mesh sieve over a medium-size glass bowl then put aside.
- Whisk: to a different medium-size glass bowl, ideally one with a lip for straightforward pouring, add the entire eggs plus egg yolks then vigorously whisk till easy. I like to make use of a milk frother to assist get the eggs very easy.
- Warmth: to a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan add the lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Flip the warmth to medium then whisk to mix the substances. Cook dinner whereas slowly whisking till the sugar has dissolved, 2-3 minutes.
- Mood: take away the pan from the warmth then slowly stream ~3/4 cup of the recent lemon-sugar combination (I exploit a small ladle) into the bowl with the eggs whereas whisking vigorously. Be aware: the method of including scorching liquid to chilly eggs is named tempering the eggs and it ensures that they do not scramble after they’re added to the remaining scorching liquid within the pan.
- Cook dinner: slowly stream the tempered eggs into the saucepan with the remaining lemon-sugar combination whereas whisking vigorously. It is okay if the combination foams whereas whisking. Place the pan over medium-low warmth then whisk repeatedly till the combination has thickened, 4-5 minutes — this can occur the entire sudden close to the tip. Keep away from cooking over too excessive of warmth and/or overcooking the lemon curd or it might probably style eggy.
- Pressure: scrape the lemon curd into the high quality mesh sieve over the glass bowl with a spatula then press it by means of, catching any stable, cooked items of egg within the sieve.
- Cool: add half the chilly butter then stir till melted. Add the remaining butter then stir till melted. Add the vanilla extract then stir till mixed. Place a chunk of saran wrap instantly on high of the lemon curd to forestall a pores and skin from forming then refrigerate till utterly chilled earlier than utilizing, 2-3 hours. The Lemon Curd will thicken as soon as it is utterly cool.
- Retailer: Lemon Curd may be refrigerated for as much as 2 weeks, or frozen for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge.
Notes
- You have to to make use of fresh-squeezed lemon juice for this recipe, vs bottled.
- Lemon Curd must be cooked to 175 – 180 levels as measured by a digital thermometer for optimum thickness/texture.
Advised makes use of:
- As “pudding” — scoop right into a cup then eat with a spoon!
- Spoon into mini pavlovas to make Berries in a Cloud.
- Combine with vanilla ice cream.
- Combine with whipped cream to create whippy Lemon Fruit Dip.
- Layer with whipped cream, blueberries, and graham crackers to create Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake.
- Dollop on high of gluten free pancakes or waffles with recent berries.
- Make no-bake dessert cups with lemon curd, crushed graham crackers, whipped cream, and recent berries.
- Dip into with graham crackers or shortbread cookies.
- Layer with cubed Gluten Free Angel Meals Cake and recent berries in mason jars.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Lady Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin
