If you want a universal lemon flavour for cakes, doughnuts, tarts, and more, this lemon curd is it. It is buttery smooth, and blissfully light. I make this in huge quantities for it lasts 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Two weeks of all things lemon. It is my dessert bliss.
This curd is really easy to make. Just a few simple steps and fresh ingredients is all it takes. Don’t let the word “curd” sway you to believe it is complicated. It isn’t. If you want to change the flavour, substitute the citrus. Swap lemon for lime, grapefruit, or orange.
First step, weigh out all of your ingredients and set them aside. This comes together quickly and you need to be prepared.
Grab a mixing bowl, medium heavy bottomed pot, mixing spoon, fine mesh strainer, plastic wrap, and a storage container that fits in your fridge to store the curd. Boil the water and place bowl over top.
Add half of the butter, half of the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest to a medium sized pot and cook over medium heat until sugar has melted and mixture lightly bubbles along the edge of the pot. Not a roaring boil. Just a barely starting to boil. Then remove from heat.
In a separate mixing bowl add the eggs and the remaining sugar and mix well. Slowly temper the hot mixture into the eggs (meaning while stirring, add the hot mixture to the eggs one ladle at a time; to avoid scrambling the eggs; until you have stirred in half of the hot mixture. Then dump the egg mixture back into the pot.). Cook while stirring over medium high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Add the remaining butter to the boiling mixture and stir until dissolved and incorporated.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sleeve into the plastic storage container. Place and piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the curd and then set it in a cold ice bath to allow it to cool. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate. Voila. You are done!
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