Lemon Curd

I have to admit, I was a little intimated reading about making this over the stove top as I was scared it would separate and the egg would curdle. Although after making this a few times, I've learned it is actually pretty fool proof. Also, you will never buy this in store again. Making lemon curd from scratch is just way too deliciously tangy and sweet. Once you try this you too will see the huge difference in taste from store bought vs homemade.

Lemon curd is perfect for topping on crepes, angel food cake, pavlova, croissants, stirred in Greek yogurt, and so much more. You can keep in the refrigerator for 10 days or freeze for 3-6 months just thaw in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying.

*If you do not have a double broiler you can put a heatproof bowl on top of a larger pot. I normally do this way, as you see in my pictures I used a stainless steel mixing bowl. *Warning* be very careful as the bowl can heat up. I used an oven mitt to hold it and when transferring off to the counter top. Do not bake over direct heat as it leads to burning. Make sure the top bowl is not touching the simmering water on the bottom bowl.

A huge tip I've learned while making this is to have all your ingredients prepped as you will have to constantly be stirring, leaving curd will make it burn on the bottom and you don't want that. Do not use bottle lemon juice, use fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Alrighty, now onto the simple few steps for this curd..

Starting off you place the egg yolks, granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt into the top pot of your double boiler. If you prefer to use salted butter omit the 1/8 tsp of salt in the recipe. Using a whisk completely blend then continue to whisk as the curd cooks. Constant whisking prevents egg yolks from curdling. Whisk and cool until the mixture becomes thick, about 10 minutes. If the curd isn’t thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk. It should resemble hollandaise sauce thickness.

Once you've reached that point take off the top of the pot. Mix in the 6 tbsp of butter and stir until dissolved.

Pour into a bowl and cover the top with cling wrap on the surface of the curd. It will prevent a top hard layer from forming. Let it cool in the refrigerator for 30 min or so. The curd continues to thicken as it cools.

Boom. Lemon Curd.

Lemon Curd Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 Large egg yolks

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest, about 1 lemon

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, about 3 lemons

1/8 tsp salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Directions:

1. Fill the bottom pot of your double broiler with 1-2 inches of water or use the DIY method listed in the notes above. Place on high heat. Once the water begins to boil, reduce to low heat to keep the water at a simmer.

2. Place egg yolks, granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt into the top pot of your double boiler. Using a whisk completely blend then continue to whisk as the curd cooks. It should take about 10 min for the curd to thicken. If the curd isn’t thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk.

3. Remove pan from heat. Cut the butter into 6 separate pieces, then stir into the curd. The butter will melt from the heat of the curd.

4. Pour curd into jar or bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top so it is touching the top of the curd. This prevents a skin from forming on the top. Place in the refrigerator until cool, then you can remove the plastic wrap.