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–+ servings

Lemon Curd

A silky, bright homemade lemon curd made with fresh lemon juice, eggs, sugar, and butter using an easy double-boiler method.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bright lemon curd, citrus curd, double boiler lemon curd, easy lemon curd recipe, foolproof lemon curd, homemade lemon curd, lemon curd recipe, lemon spread
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 1.5 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of 3 lemons
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Instructions

  • Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water.
  • In the bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt until smooth.
  • Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, for 8–12 minutes until curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, or reaches 170–175°F.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time until fully melted and smooth.
  • Optional: Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for extra smooth texture.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before using.