Perfect Lemon Curd Ratio
3 : 3 : 1
Lemons : Eggs : Cup Sugar
150ml juice + 3 eggs + 200g + 115g butter
= 2 cups (500ml) tangy, silky lemon curd
Classic Lemon Curd Recipe
Ingredients
- Fresh lemon juice 150ml (⅔ cup / 3 lemons)
- Lemon zest (finely grated) 2 lemons
- Large eggs 3 whole eggs
- Granulated sugar 200g (1 cup)
- Unsalted butter (cold, cubed) 115g (½ cup)
- Salt Pinch
Instructions
- 1. Whisk eggs + sugar + salt in heatproof bowl until smooth.
- 2. Add lemon juice + zest. Mix well.
- 3. Cook over double boiler (or low heat), whisking constantly.
- 4. Cook 8-10 min until thick (coats back of spoon, 170°F).
- 5. Remove from heat. Stir in cold butter cubes until melted.
- 6. Strain through fine sieve to remove zest + lumps.
- 7. Press plastic wrap on surface. Chill 2+ hours.
🍋 Use Fresh Lemon Juice!
Bottled lemon juice lacks the bright, fresh flavor. Fresh squeezed = vibrant taste. Zest adds extra lemon oils for intensity!
Lemon Curd Variations
| Style | Eggs | Texture | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic (Whole Eggs) | 3 whole eggs | Spreadable, balanced | All-purpose, scones, cakes |
| Rich (Egg Yolks) | 6 egg yolks | Very thick, silky, rich | Tart filling, piping |
| Light (More Whites) | 2 whole + 1 white | Lighter, less rich | Lower calorie option |
| Extra Tangy | 3 whole eggs | Same but more sour | Use 4 lemons (200ml juice) |
Citrus Curd Flavor Variations
Citrus Variations
- Lime Curd: Replace with 150ml lime juice + lime zest (more intense)
- Orange Curd: Use 200ml orange juice + orange zest (reduce sugar to 150g)
- Grapefruit Curd: Use 180ml grapefruit juice (slightly bitter, unique)
- Meyer Lemon: Sweeter, less acidic (reduce sugar to 175g)
- Lemon-Lime: Mix 100ml lemon + 50ml lime juice
Flavor Add-ins
- Lavender Lemon: Steep 1 tsp dried lavender in warm juice, strain
- Ginger Lemon: Add 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, strain after cooking
- Basil Lemon: Infuse 5-6 basil leaves in juice, strain
- Vanilla Lemon: Add ½ vanilla bean seeds or 1 tsp extract
- Passion Fruit: Add 50ml passion fruit pulp to lemon curd
Troubleshooting
Common Problems:
- Scrambled eggs: Heat too high. Use double boiler or very low heat, whisk constantly.
- Too thin: Didn't cook long enough. Must reach 170°F and coat spoon.
- Too thick/rubbery: Overcooked. Remove at first sign of thickness (will thicken more when cold).
- Grainy texture: Cooked too fast. Low, gentle heat + constant whisking.
- Not tangy enough: Not enough lemon juice or too much sugar. Add more juice or zest.
Pro Tips:
- • Room temp eggs whisk smoother
- • Zest lemons before juicing (easier!)
- • Roll lemons on counter before juicing (more juice)
- • Add butter at end (off heat) to prevent splitting
- • Strain for silky-smooth texture
- • Keeps refrigerated 2 weeks, frozen 3 months
Uses for Lemon Curd
- ✓ Tart Filling: Pour into prebaked tart shell, chill
- ✓ Cake Filling: Between layers of vanilla or lemon cake
- ✓ Scone Topping: Serve with clotted cream
- ✓ Pavlova Topping: With whipped cream + berries
- ✓ Toast/Muffin Spread: Like jam but tangier
- ✓ Cheesecake Swirl: Marble into cheesecake batter
- ✓ Macaron Filling: Between almond shells
- ✓ Yogurt Mix-in: Swirl into Greek yogurt