Lemon Curd – An English Favorite You Can Make at Home

What is Lemon Curd?

The English have favored lemon curd for centuries as a topping for their tea breads and scones. If you’ve spent an afternoon in a quiet tea-shop chatting with your friends, you’ve probably indulged in this sweet-tart spread a time or two.

This strange concoction got its name back in the 1800s in Jolly Ol’ England. Back then, it actually was a “curd!” Originally, lemon curd was made by adding lemon to cream which created acidification. You allow the curds to form and then separate the curds from the whey (maybe you remember Little Miss Muffett).

Thank goodness, we’ve come a long way since the 1800s. Nowadays fruit curds are more like a custard, all velvety and sweet, made with eggs and butter. You can make “curds” with almost any fruit, but they are most commonly made with citrus and lemons are the most common of all.

The biggest problem most people have when making curd is adding the eggs to the hot liquid (the melted butter, sugar, and lemon juice). This recipe eliminates that issue by creaming the butter, sugar, and eggs together before placing them on the heat.

How Store Your Lemon Curd

Once you’ve made the curd, there are a number of ways to store it. If you’ve made a small batch, you can keep the curd in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

If you make a large batch for giving as presents during the holidays you can process the curd with a standard canning process. After being canned the curd should last 3 – 4 months.

Curd can be frozen. Make sure to leave room in the jar for the curd to expand during freezing. This method of storing lemon curd gives the curd the longest life. You can keep the curd in the freezer for up to a year.

Continue to Content

Yield: 32

Lemon Curd Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Tart and tangy lemon curd, not a jam and not a butter, but a curd!

Print

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup Lemon Juice, Fresh Squeezed

Instructions

1. Collect all ingredients
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter and sugar mixture mix until fully incorporated
4. Pour the egg, sugar and butter mixture into a large sauce pan
5. Add the lemon juice and begin to cook over medium-high heat , bringing the curd to a low boil. Stir continuously.
6. Cook the curd until it thickly coats the back of a spoon and holds peaks when stirred, about 15 minutes.
7. Remove the curd from heat and place in heat proof containers to cool.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

32

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 51Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 31mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Enjoy the Fresh Lemon Taste

If you are not sure what to do with your curd, other than having it on your morning toast, here are some suggestions:

1. Drizzle the lemon curd over ice cream or frozen yogurt
2. Add to cream cheese as a frosting for cupcakes
3. By itself, lemon curd is an excellent filling for cakes
4. Use it as a filling for tartlets
5. Slather it on your pancakes, french toast or inside your crepes for breakfast

There you go five quick ideas! I’m sure you can think of even more ways to use your lemon curd. Be sure to let me know!