Do-it-yourself Lemon Curd is simple, elegant, versatile, and made with 5 on a regular basis substances. This attractive 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 one among my very favourite desserts is home made Lemon Curd. This 5 ingredient lemon dessert recipe as vivid, creamy, candy, tart, and easy because it appears. I name it “sunshine on a spoon” for apparent causes!
What’s Lemon Curd?
If I had been to elucidate what Lemon Curd is to my youngsters, I’d inform them its lemon pudding. If I had 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 stability of candy and tart.
In a phrase? IRRESISTIBLE.
Whether or not you dollop it on prime 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 marriage ceremony and child showers, for Easter, and each event in between. It’s gluten free, grain free, and may simply be made dairy-free, too!
Substances Wanted
Raid your fridge, pantry, and lemon tree (for those who’ve acquired one!) for the 5, on a regular basis substances you’ll must 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 stability the recipe.
- Chilly butter: provides the lemon curd a shiny end. Many lemon curd recipes name for six+ Tablespoons of butter, although I feel 4 Tablespoons offers richness whereas preserving a mouthwatering, puckery-lemon taste. Be at liberty to make use of vegan butter for those who 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 prime 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.
High Suggestions
I’ve made this recipe numerous occasions over time and have amassed just a few key suggestions. Right here’s what that you must know!
- Maintain the warmth low: the bottom of Lemon Curd is eggs, so to keep away from scrambling them preserve 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 essential ones is lemon, you’ll wish to use recent vs bottled.
- Don’t skip straining: remember to go the lemon curd by means of a advantageous mesh sieve after cooking to catch any bits of egg. This ensures a silky easy texture.
- Maintain stirring: this can be 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 straight 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 prime because it cools.
Okay, able to dive into these bowls of sunshine?!
Attempt Gluten Free Lemon Bars!
How one can Make Do-it-yourself Lemon Curd
Step 1: Whisk the eggs.
To a bowl, ideally with a lip for simple pouring, add 3 giant eggs plus 4 giant 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 advantageous if the egg combination foams up whereas whisking.
Step 4: Add the tempered eggs to the pan.
Flip the warmth all the way 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 advantageous 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’ll thicken the entire sudden close to the tip. When you’d wish to take a temperature, the lemon curd must be between 175-180 levels when executed.
Step 5: Pressure the lemon curd.
Use a spatula to scrape the recent lemon curd right into a advantageous 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 last 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 excellent vanilla extract.
Cowl the Lemon Curd with a chunk of saran wrap straight over the floor to forestall a pores and skin from forming because it chills. Voila! You’ve gotten Lemon Curd!
The Lemon Curd is edible heat (and tremendous scrumptious, truly) however will thicken to it’s last, thick and creamy consistency after just a few hours of chilling within the fridge. After that, it’s prepared for no matter you could have deliberate (aka, get that spoon prepared)! 😉
Storage Suggestions
- Ready Lemon Curd will preserve in a glass container with an hermetic lid for as much as 2 weeks within the fridge.
- To freeze: chill the Lemon Curd fully then scoop right into a gallon measurement 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 can be runny when scorching and can thicken because it cools. If the Lemon Curd remains to be runny after chilling, possible 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 is just not 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 outstanding taste and ingredient in Lemon Curd, I don’t advocate 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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Do-it-yourself Lemon Curd Recipe
Description
Do-it-yourself Lemon Curd is simple, elegant, versatile, and made with 5 on a regular basis substances. This attractive lemon dessert is sunshine on a spoon!
Substances
- 3 giant eggs
- 4 egg yolks, from 4 giant eggs
- 3/4 cup recent lemon juice, 4-5 lemons
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons chilly butter, reduce into cubes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Put together: place a advantageous 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 simple 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. Observe: the method of including scorching liquid to chilly eggs known as 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 — it will 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 may style eggy.
- Pressure: scrape the lemon curd into the advantageous 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 straight on prime of the lemon curd to forestall a pores and skin from forming then refrigerate till fully chilled earlier than utilizing, 2-3 hours. The Lemon Curd will thicken as soon as it is fully cool.
- Retailer: Lemon Curd will be refrigerated for as much as 2 weeks, or frozen for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge.
Notes
- You’ll need 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.
Steered 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 prime 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 Woman Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Photographs by Ashley McLaughlin
