Tutorial Tuesday: Homemade Lemon Curd

Just before we left the states, I decided that homemade lemon curd is too hard to make. I mean, it actually isn’t at all. It’s actually super easy.

But people feel like they gotta make it all complicated and scary. It’s not.

I repeat, it’s not complicated. It’s not scary.

Don’t believe me? Read on.

This perfectly smooth, perfectly creamy, perfectly tart lemon curd, that I made at home, took all of about 30 minutes. And it only took that long because I’m easily distracted.

Seriously. Juice and zest a couple of lemons, stir up some eggs and yolks, add the lemony goodness and some sugar, cook and stir, stir and cook, add some butter, and press through a fine mesh sieve.

That’s an important step, the pressing through the sieve part. Not all recipes will include this step, which is a shame, because, frankly, it hides a lot of boo boos, should they occur. By pressing the finished curd through a sieve, you separate out any bits of egg that might have scrambled a bit during the cooking process. Don’t be discouraged if you get a few bits of egg – it happens stupid easily. Once you press it, though, it’s all good.

Once the curd has been pressed through, transfer it to a clean, dry container that can be closed with an airtight seal, and allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, the curd stays good for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Toldja is was easy, didn’t I? And guess what?! Next week, I’m gonna give you an irresistibly delicious cookie recipe to use this bit of perfection in. Cause I love ya.

Make this curd this weekend, so you’ll have it ready for those cookies. Trust me.

Enjoy!

Homemade Lemon Curd

Ingredients

2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and the whole eggs until combined. Add the lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt and mix until just combined. Add the sugar and whisk until combined, then set over medium heat. Add the butter pieces and stir the mixture constantly until all of the butter melts and the mixture thickens to a jelly-like consistency, and reaches about 170 degrees.

Remove the curd from the heat and pour into a fine mesh sieve set over a clean glass bowl. Use a spoon to help push the mixture through the sieve, if necessary. Allow to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe by Darla