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Home / Recipes / Desserts / Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd

Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd

February 3, 2016 By Jill Selkowitz / 21 Comments Updated April 7, 2020 / As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs I earn from qualifying purchases; see all disclosures.

Jump to Recipe

Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd, made with whole eggs, uses a method which yields a very smooth and creamy Curd, without lumps.

Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd

Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd

Years ago, I discovered a neat trick to making Lemon Curd using whole eggs that did not leave lumps.  It was so easy and I started calling it Fool Proof Lemon Curd Recipe! I like to use Meyer Lemons, but any lemons will be great.

You can also make Lime Curd from any kind of lime. Key Lime Curd is fantastically delicious. Curd is delicious on yogurt, scones, muffins.

Try a dollop on top of one of my cheesecakes, Meyer Lemon Cheesecake, New York Style Vanilla Bean, Cheesecake, Blackberry Cheesecake, New York Cheesecake, or for a less caloric cheesecake, try one of my Ricotta Cheesecakes, Authentic Italian Ricotta Cheesecake, Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake.

 

Cast of Ingredients for Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd

Cast of Ingredients for Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd

Have your ingredients ready before starting as things happen fast.

 

Weigh out the ingredients

Weigh out the ingredients

Using a scale to weigh ingredients is the best and most accurate way to measure. I use the Bakers Math Scale. Use a Microplane to zest your lemon.

 

Use an Electric Hand Mixture to Blend

Use an Electric Hand Mixture to Blend

In a Medium Mixing Bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an Electric Hand Mixer, about 2 minutes.

 

Mixing until smooth

Add the eggs and yolks one at a time.

Smooth to curdled

The mixture will be smooth and as soon as the lemon juice goes in, it will look curdled, but don’t fret!

 

Curdled to Smooth

Slowly heat the mixture in a Stainless Steel 3 Quart Saucepan. I promise, the curdled appearance will disappear as the butter melts and turn a nice shade of yellow.

 

20160201_203225

You’ll need a Candy Thermometer for this as you want to get to 170°F. Keep cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Watch closely as you do not want the mixture to boil!

 

Test the Curd with your Spatula

Test the Curd with your Spatula

You can tell that your Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd is cooked to perfection, by dipping in a Spatula and running your finger down the center and it parts, like the Red Sea.

 

Zest

Zest goes in last. Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest. Remember, if you are using Meyer Lemons for your Curd, do not use the Zest; use another kind of lemon, as the thin skin of the Meyer Lemon is quite bitter. Transfer the curd to a bowl.

 

Covered Curd

Press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming and put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill. The Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd will continue to thicken as it cools.

 

20160202_150441

Here’s one of my Meyer Lemon trees. Our other one is a Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree. We also have a Eureka Lemon tree, which makes the best lemonade, and gives great zest. If you would like to try this in the Pressure Cooker, check out my Pressure Cooker Easy Lemon Curd recipe.

Kitchen Equipment and Essentials

  • J.A. Henckels Classic 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
  • Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
  • Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
  • Cilio Olivewood Spatula
  • OXO Good Grips Cutting Board
  • Medium Mixing Bowl
  • Baker’s Math Scale
  • Stainless Steel 3 Quart Saucepan
  • Kerr Half Pint (8 oz) Mason Jars
  • Microplane Stainless Steel Zester
  • Cuisinart Electric Hand Mixer
  • Candy Thermometer

Caring is sharing! If you would like to support This Old Gal, please share this recipe on Social Media, so that I can continue to bring you more wonderful recipes! 

If you share a picture of something you make from our blog, tag it with #thisoldgalcooks so we can see it. We might feature it on Instagram! It makes my day when I see you’ve made one of our recipes!

Here is the handy printable recipe:

Totally Fool Proof Meyer Lemon Curd

5 from 5 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Dessert, Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 0kcal
Author: Jill Selkowitz

Ingredients

  • 85 grams Unsalted Butter 3 oz./6 Tbs., softened at room temperature
  • 200 grams White Sugar 1 cup
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 2 large egg Yolks
  • 150 grams Fresh Lemon Juice 2/3 cup
  • 1-2 tsp. Lemon Zest grated

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, about 2 minutes.
  • Slowly add the eggs and yolks.
  • Beat for 1 minute.
  • Mix in the lemon juice.
  • The mixture will look curdled, but it will smooth out as it cooks.
  • In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth. (The curdled appearance disappears as the butter in the mixture melts.)
  • Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
  • The curd is cooked when it reaches 170°F, but you can see that it's cooked when your finger leaves a clear path on the back of a spoon. Don't let the mixture boil.
  • Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest.
  • Transfer the curd to a bowl.
  • Press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming and chill the curd in the refrigerator
  • The curd will thicken further as it cools.

Notes

Covered tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for 2 months.
Use a heavy-based, nonreactive saucepan — Stainless steel, anodized aluminum, and enamel all work well. Some materials, such as plain aluminum or unlined copper, will react with the acid in the lemons, discoloring the curd and giving it a metallic flavor.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Totally Fool Proof Meyer Lemon Curd
Amount Per Serving (0 g)
Calories 0
% Daily Value*
Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 0mg0%
Potassium 0mg0%
Carbohydrates 0g0%
Fiber 0g0%
Sugar 0g0%
Protein 0g0%
Vitamin A 0IU0%
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 0mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @ThisOldGalCooks or tag #thisoldgalcooks!
© ThisOldGal.com - Sharing the recipe link to any of my recipes posts are both encouraged and appreciated. Unauthorized and improperly attributed or non-attributed use of this material, including screen shots, copy/paste of full recipes to any social media site, website, mobile application or service (e.g., copymethat, recipe keeper, pepper) or cookbook, without the requisite attribution or otherwise with express written permission from Jill Selkowitz is strictly prohibited. You may share a photo with a link back instead.

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Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd

Totally Fool Proof Lemon Curd

2.0K shares
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February 3, 2016

About Jill Selkowitz

Hi, I'm Jill. I'm a mom to Tonkinese cats and enjoy sharing restaurant quality meals, easily made at home. With my easy step by step photos and directions, new cooks will be able to follow along and cook like rock stars.

Comments

  1. Katherine says

    March 13, 2023 at 11:36 am

    5 stars
    THE best. All other methods of lemon curd are finicky and split and are too difficult and therefore inferior. Seriously, curd is not hard…if you do it this way!

    Reply
  2. Deanna says

    December 2, 2020 at 2:07 am

    How long does this last in the fridge???

    Reply
  3. Leslie says

    August 16, 2019 at 9:51 am

    HI This sounds delicious and I will try it. I was hoping that you could make the pressure cooker easy lemon curd mention above into a live link. It sounds good but I am sometimes too lazy to search things up. A link would be great. Many thanks for all the recipes. Never had one fail yet.

    Reply
    • Joy L. Allender says

      April 6, 2020 at 3:50 pm

      exactly I can’t find the recipe

      Reply
    • Jenn says

      November 15, 2020 at 11:19 am

      https://thisoldgal.com/pressure-cooker-easy-lemon-curd/

      Just go up to the search icon at the top of this page and search “lemon curd pressure.”

      Reply
  4. Laura says

    June 16, 2019 at 6:24 pm

    Your recipes & tips are simply the greatest ! I rarely have to look elsewhere! Thank you so much!
    Just got notice that my Mealthy Crisplid is on it’s way & I should receive it by Wednesday! Can’t wait to use it! I hope Mealthy takes good care of you with what you do for them!!! You deserve it! So does your guinie pig hubby!!

    Reply
    • Jill Selkowitz says

      June 17, 2019 at 1:49 pm

      Hi Laura. Thank you for the very kind comments. What a sweetheart you are to take the time to write this beautiful comment. [Mealthy may not notice] All the best. Jill

      Reply
  5. Mary Salisbury says

    December 27, 2018 at 2:03 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic recipe!!!!! I had some meyers that I had to pick before a freeze and was wondering what to do with them. This is it!
    Thank you for having such an easy recipe and it yields a lot more than I figured it would.

    Reply
    • Jill says

      December 27, 2018 at 5:23 pm

      I am glad you like the curd! Jill

      Reply
  6. Lindsey Mercer says

    July 25, 2018 at 5:07 am

    Hello, I was just wondering if you can use Splenda in place of the sugar for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Juliana Dodd says

      January 23, 2019 at 4:51 pm

      I would probably use Swerve. I’m going to try that and if it works. I’ll post a picture.

      Reply
  7. Heidi says

    January 22, 2018 at 10:01 am

    Can you can this in the jars to preserve for longer?

    Reply
  8. Rachel says

    January 3, 2018 at 7:10 pm

    Made this for the first time tonight and it turned out fantastic! Can’t wait to try it with my no-boil instant pot yogurt. I do have a question. Do you think it would turn out the same if I used a Trim Healthy Mama/stevia based sweetner? Trying to cut out refined sugar from my diet.

    Reply
    • Jill says

      January 4, 2018 at 3:02 am

      Hi Rachel. I have not made this with a sugar substitute, however, I have heard that it does work. Jill

      Reply
  9. Laura Hardy says

    December 14, 2017 at 5:23 am

    5 stars
    Just made this a quarter recipe as i had a bit of butter and a lemon knocking about. Turned out a treat.
    Might try a different citrus, orange maybe??

    Reply
    • Jill says

      December 15, 2017 at 1:01 am

      That works well too. Less sugar would be needed for orange. Jill

      Reply
  10. Michele Zimmerman says

    August 12, 2017 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    I tried your recipe for lemon curd last night because I was gifted about 8 pounds of lemons which I had juiced, and removed the peels to dry. I wanted to try curd another time but last time it was yummy but runny. Drat!
    I followed your clear instructions and it worked perfectly. Thank you, thank you!
    ‘Michele Zimmerman
    Crnkyaccountant

    Reply
    • Jill says

      August 12, 2017 at 6:15 pm

      Hi Michele. I am glad you enjoyed the curd. Jill

      Reply
  11. Melanie says

    January 30, 2017 at 9:06 am

    Can you use other citrus for this recipe (ie. grapefruit)?

    Reply
    • Jill says

      January 30, 2017 at 8:03 pm

      Hi Melanie~

      Grapefruit would be wonderful for this recipe. I would reduce the sugar a bit, as grapefruit is not as sour as lemon.

      Jill

      Reply
  12. nikki_r5 says

    October 30, 2016 at 2:48 pm

    5 stars
    This turns out WONDERFUL !
    You just forgot to mention whether I should use:
    a dbl. boiler or pour the curd mixture into the heavy bottomed pot or to put the bowl over boiling water “like a dbl. boiler” ?
    So, since I don’t have a dbl. boiler & I’ve made 4 batches this this. To save myself dishes, I’ll just cream my sugar & butter in the heavy pot THEN finish out the recipe.
    I end up eating it out of the jar by the spoonful’s ! I LOVE IT !!!

    Reply

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