Cookbook:Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd
Category	Dessert recipes
Yield	12 ounces (330 g)
Time	15–20 minutes
Difficulty

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes | Dessert

Lemon curd is a custard-like dessert sauce made with eggs, lemon juice and zest, sugar, and butter. It keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator, and it is excellent on shortbread, biscuits, scones, and English muffins. It can also be used in a variety of other dessert preparations.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (120 ml) lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly-grated lemon zest
• ⅓ cup (80 g) white granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter
• 1 pinch salt (optional, to bring out sweetness and flavor of finished product)

Equipment

• 1-quart saucepan
• Whisk
• Measuring cup
• Grater or zester
• Medium-to-large strainer of fine-to-medium mesh
• Rubber spatula
• 1-quart mixing bowl
• 12-ounce (about 330 g) jar with sealable lid (optional)

Procedure

1. Cut the butter into small chunks.
2. Put eggs, zest, sugar, and salt into saucepan.
3. Whisk ingredients in pan until frothy and light in color (1–2 minutes).
4. Add lemon juice and whisk for 30 seconds.
5. Add butter chunks.
6. Set pan on stove burner, turn on heat to medium-to-low, and start whisking contents so they don't coagulate or stick to bottom of pan.
7. Whisk constantly until butter melts and mixture thickens, then whisk another two minutes. Do not let mixture boil. It should be quite steamy (about 185°F / 85°C).
8. If desired, pour the mixture through the strainer to remove the zest and any other solids. Work the mixture through the strainer with the spatula; rake mixture off bottom of strainer into bowl.
9. Pour mixture from bowl into jar to within ¼ inch (0.75 cm) from top, taking care not to get mixture on rim, then seal jar with lid.
10. Refrigerate to thicken the product further. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes, tips, and variations

• Grate only the yellow lemon zest, avoiding the bitter inner white pith.
• The curd can also be stored in any other suitable container.