Lemon Curd: A Classic Recipe + 4 Unusual Variations

Lemon curd is a sweet and sour cream made with lemon juice. It's made by boiling egg yolks. The recipe is similar to classic custard, but uses lemon juice and zest instead of milk.

Lemon curd is used as a filling for various desserts, a layer in cheesecakes, sponge cakes, and shortbread cakes. It can be used as a topping for ice cream or served as a sauce for rice and meat. Besides its wonderful flavor, lemon curd has a bright and appetizing appearance, making it a perfect addition to any dish. Let's explore the most popular ways to prepare this lemony treat.

Lemon curd with yolks for cupcakes and tartlets

I suggest checking out another original lemon curd recipe, made with egg yolks. This cream is thick and very flavorful, perfect for cupcakes and tartlets.

Ingredients

• Lemon juice – 70 g
• Lemon – 1 pc.
• Yolk – 4 pcs.
• Sugar – 100 g
• Butter – 70 g
• Corn starch – 2 tsp.

Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Servings: 1

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Using a grater, remove the zest from the lemon. It's important not to include the white part of the peel, as this can impart an unpleasant bitterness to the cream.

Step 2

Squeeze the lemon. To get more juice from a single lemon, it's recommended to microwave it for 15 seconds, roll it on a flat surface, or cut it lengthwise instead of crosswise.

Step 3

Strain the lemon juice from the seeds.

Step 4

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the lemon juice, zest, starch, sugar, and egg yolks. Place over low heat.

Step 5

Heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat. Avoid overheating the curd, as this can develop a strong eggy flavor and odor.

Step 6

Add room temperature butter to the hot custard mixture and mix well until smooth.

Step 7

Strain the finished lemon curd through a sieve to remove the lemon zest. A delicious and beautiful filling for cupcakes and tartlets is ready!

Lemon curd with condensed milk

This is a delicious and easy-to-make recipe that even a child can master. It takes no more than 10 minutes to prepare, and only requires two readily available ingredients. Although this condensed milk cream is far from the classic recipe, it tastes very similar to traditional lemon curd. I suggest you make this fabulous recipe in just a few minutes!

Ingredients

• Condensed milk – 1 can (380 g)
• Lemon – 1 pc.

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Servings: 1

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Prepare the ingredients.

Step 2

Cut the lemon into two halves.

Step 3

Squeeze the juice out of the lemon.

Step 4

Add condensed milk to lemon juice.

Step 5

Beat the resulting lemon-condensed milk mixture thoroughly with a mixer for 2-3 minutes at maximum speed.

Step 6

Continue whisking until the mixture thickens. A delicious, creamy custard with a delicate lemon flavor is ready!

Step 7

This lemon curd with condensed milk can be served as a standalone dessert, garnished with chocolate. You can also spread it on a sponge cake or add it to pancakes.

Eggless Lemon Curd

This is a delicious and satisfying lemon curd. The recipe is incredibly budget-friendly, as it's made without butter or eggs. It's very easy to make. The cream is wonderfully refreshing in the heat and complements any dessert. The finished cream can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. However, the curd is so delicious that it's eaten much faster.

Ingredients

• Lemon – 2 pcs.
• Corn starch or tapioca starch – 1 tbsp.
• Plant milk – 120 ml
• Sugar – from 2 tbsp to 1/2 cup (depending on the desired sweetness of the curd)
• Turmeric – 1/4 tsp.

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Servings: 1

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

We prepare the necessary ingredients.

Step 2

Pour milk, starch, and sugar into a saucepan. Whisk thoroughly and place over medium heat.

Step 3

Add the zest of one lemon and the juice of two lemons to the milk mixture.

Step 4

Mix the resulting mixture thoroughly. Add a little turmeric for an attractive color.

Step 5

Continue heating over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. This usually takes no more than 5 minutes.

Step 6

Pour the prepared mixture into a jar and let it cool to room temperature. Then, put it in the refrigerator.

Lemon curd with gelatin

Lemon curd with added gelatin can be used as a standalone layer in cakes and desserts. This layer will impart a sophisticated flavor to cheesecake and add a touch of sophistication to sponge cake.

Ingredients

• Lemon juice – 150 g
• Eggs – 3 pcs.
• Sugar – 150 g
• Butter – 70 g
• Starch – 1.5 tsp.
• Sheet or powder gelatin – 3.5 g

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Servings: 1

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

We take out and measure out the required amount of ingredients.

Step 2

Place lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, sugar and starch in a thick-bottomed saucepan.

Step 3

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a whisk.

Step 4

Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Step 5

Cook the mixture until it thickens. Then simmer the curd for another 2 minutes.

Step 6

Remove the custard mixture from the heat and strain through a sieve to remove any lemon zest.

Step 7

Add butter to the custard mixture and mix thoroughly until smooth.

Step 8

Add the soaked gelatin to the lemon curd and stir again until smooth.

Step 9

To make a lemon curd cake layer, pour the mixture into a ring and freeze. Once the curd is completely frozen, it can be removed from the pan and used as a layer for a cake or any other dessert, such as a mousse cake.