Lemon Curd
Thick enough for pretty cake layers!
After many trials, which yielded some small successes but mostly frustrating dissatisfaction, I finally achieved the consistency, color, and flavor of lemon curd that is suitable for creating a pretty layer of filling in a cake. Spoiler alert: I had to use cornstarch. I didn’t want to, but after trying several different recipes online that promised to be thick enough, I ended up with delicious curds that sort of melted into the cake layers. The flavor was there, but the presentation was not up to my standards. So, I did what I often do and took the best components of the different recipes to come up with my own.
This recipe combines plenty of lemon zest and juice with just enough sugar for a sweet-tart flavor, egg yolks for color and thickening, a little cornstarch for extra thickening, and butter for a dreamy texture. Use it for cakes, pies, cookies, lemon bars, and more. This morning I stirred a little into my Greek yogurt and it was amazing!
The cost for approximately 14 ounces worked out to be around $5.40. I’ll put the breakdown below. For comparison, you would pay $8 - $12 for a 10-ounce higher-end jarred product in the grocery store, and I think you can imagine how much better it is freshly made. Prices will vary, but for reference, I shopped at Costco in Oregon.
I promise next time I make this, I will get some detailed photos or video of the process. For now, I have ingredients and instructions, and as always, I welcome any questions you might have.
Lemon Curd
(makes approximately 14 ounces or 1 1/2 cups)
¾ cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons corn starch
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 - 3 lemons)
1 whole egg
4 egg yolks, reserve the egg whites for other use
¾ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from 3 - 4 lemons)
8 tablespoons chilled butter, sliced
pinch of salt (sea or kosher)
Instructions
Bring refrigerated eggs to room temperature by soaking them in a bowl of very warm (not hot enough to cook them) tap water for about five minutes.
Wash and dry your lemons and zest only the yellow part of the peel (a microplane zester works best for this) over a small bowl or plate.
Juice the lemons to yield ¾ cup.
In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk the granulated sugar and corn starch until fully combined with no lumps, and stir in the lemon zest. (If your saucepan doesn’t have a heavy, thick bottom, you may choose to use a double boiler to avoid burning.)
Add the whole egg and egg yolks and whisk briskly for about 30 seconds. Then add in the lemon juice and whisk to combine.
Stir constantly over medium-low heat, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides. (This is the hardest part of the process, be patient and don’t turn the heat up too high or the eggs may curdle. It will take about ten minutes to bring to a boil.)
Once the mixture begins to boil and is thickened, remove it from the heat.
Slice the stick of cold butter into 8 - 10 slices and add them, one at a time, until they are melted and well combined.
Add a pinch of salt and taste.
Strain the curd in a mesh metal strainer over a large bowl if you want a smooth curd, or use it as is with the zest, whatever you prefer.
Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap to prevent a “skin” from forming, and refrigerate until you are ready to use it. It will take a couple of hours to chill thoroughly and reach peak thickness.
It should keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, though I’ve never had it stick around that long. According to other recipes, you can also freeze it for up to three months, but I don’t have firsthand experience to tell you how or if it affects the texture of the curd.
4 lemons - 2.40, ½ cup butter - .92, 5 eggs - 1.60, ¾ cup sugar - .30, 4 teaspoons - cornstarch .20
Total: 5.40