This bright, tart, super-delicious citrus curd is perfect for slathering on Victory (Victoria) Sponge Cake or swirled into Lemon-Curd Pound Cake. It can also be folded into Perfect Whipped Cream and used with any number of other cakes, so mix up a batch and let it inspire you. It’s also a great way to use up egg yolks left over from Angel Food Cake or fluffy Swiss meringue.
The key to a clean, bright lemon curd that has no hint of egg is to cook it low and slow in a nonreactive bowl on a double boiler. Eggs are sensitive to heat and certain metals, so we need to be gentle with them, or they can give off a sulfur smell and taste that will shift our sublime curd to something that tastes metallic. For the best results, use a stainless-steel or glass bowl (glass takes longer, because it doesn’t conduct heat as quickly). The bowl should fit snugly within the pan, so it traps the steam.
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- In a medium stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, butter and salt.
- Put 1 inch / 2.5cm of water in the bottom of a double boiler or a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Place the bowl with the lemon mixture over the simmering water.
- Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture constantly, making sure to clean the sides of the bowl as you go, until the lemon curd begins to thicken, about 10 minutes; it will be the consistency of smooth pudding.
- If there are any lumps in the curd, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow container and cover with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto the surface, to prevent a skin from forming.
- In a large bowl, add enough ice cubes and cold water to create a bath for the container to sit in without the water breaching the sides.
- Set the container in the ice bath or place in the freezer until chilled, about 15 minutes, then transfer to the fridge for up to 5 days.
Variation: Citrus Curd
- Try the curd with lime, grapefruit, or passionfruit for a different taste sensation. Prepare as directed but swap out the lemon for another typeof juice and zest. Or try an orange-lemon curd, using 1/4 cup / 60ml orange juice and 1/4 cup / 60ml lemon juice, plus the zest of 1/2 orange. (Oranges on their own will be too sweet.)
I tried your recipe for lemon curd and it was Divine!! So silky smooth and better than what I’ve been able to make with other recipes and definitely better than what you can buy in the store. Thank you!
Yay! I love her lemon curd recipe as well. Cheers!
This recipe is perfect, just like all of Zoë’s recipes. I’ve made it three times now, twice dairy free using an equal amount of coconut oil in place of the butter. They taste identical and it works perfectly. Highly recommended!