Easy Meyer Lemon Curd
This homemade meyer lemon curd is beyond easy to make from scratch! With just a handful of ingredients, it comes together quickly and goes on everything from cookies and cakes to scones and pancakes. It's perfectly sweet, tart, buttery, and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 150 grams sugar (3/4 cup)
- 8 grams Meyer lemon zest, about 4 lemons (2 Tablespoons)
- 6 egg yolks
- 120 milliliters fresh lemon juice, about 6 lemons (1/2 cup)
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 85 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes (6 Tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Equipment
- Non-reactive saucepan (ceramic or stainless steel)
Instructions
- Pour the sugar and lemon zest into a non-reactive saucepan. Using clean hands, rub the sugar and lemon zest together until it's fragrant and the lemon zest has released its oils, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks to the lemon sugar. Using a rubber whisk, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is thickened and pale yellow, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the lemon juice until the mixture is smooth. Then, stir in the salt.
- Cook the lemon curd over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, reaches 170°F (77°C), and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Don't let the curd come to a boil!
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the cold cubes of butter. Whisk until the butter is completely melted. Then, stir in the vanilla bean paste.
- Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps or lemon zest. Let the curd cool for a few minutes. Then, pour the lemon curd into a jar and press a small piece of plastic wrap against the top to keep a film from forming. Seal the jar and refrigerate the curd for up to 1 week.
Notes
For this recipe, it's important to use a pot that's non-reactive like stainless steel or ceramic. You will also want to use a non-metal whisk. I like rubber whisks! If you use metal, it could negatively react with the acid in the lemon juice which will make the curd taste bitter and metallic.
If lemon curds aren't in season, feel free to use regular lemons. I would recommend increasing the sugar to 1 cup (200 grams) since regular lemons are more tart than Meyer lemons.
Make sure you're constantly whisking the lemon curd. Otherwise, the egg could scramble which will make the curd lumpy.
For thick lemon curd, make sure to cook it long enough. It should not come to a boil, but the curd should coat the back of a wooden spoon. It will also thicken as it cools!
Don't bring the lemon curd to a boil. This will overcook the curd and make it grainy instead of creamy.
For the best results, cook the curd low and slow. After a few minutes, it will thicken up for uber smooth lemon curd.
Serving: 1Tablespoon, Calories: 93kcal, Carbohydrates: 9.3g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4.9g, Saturated Fat: 2.7g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 28mg, Potassium: 31mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 8.5g, Calcium: 11mg
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