Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is one of those timeless kitchen classics that never goes out of style. Bright, silky, and packed with fresh lemon flavour, it’s a wonderfully versatile recipe to have up your sleeve. Spread it over warm toast, spoon it into tart cases, swirl it through yoghurt, or use it to fill cakes and pastries. This version is all about achieving that smooth, luxurious texture with a simple technique and a final blend of butter for extra gloss and richness.

Timings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: Makes about 2 medium jars

Ingredients

• 5 free-range eggs

• 3 extra egg yolks

• 250g white caster sugar

• 200ml lemon juice, from about 5–6 lemons

• 210g unsalted butter, diced

  
  

Method

1. Crack the eggs into a heatproof bowl and add the extra egg yolks.

2. Add the caster sugar and whisk together until fully combined and the sugar begins to dissolve into the egg mixture.

3. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water to create a bain-marie, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water.

4. Pour in the lemon juice and continue whisking gently.

5. Add half of the butter and keep whisking as the mixture slowly heats.

6. Continue cooking until the curd thickens and reaches 75°C.

7. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for around 20 minutes.

8. Add the remaining butter.

9. Use an electric whisk or blender to blend until smooth, glossy, and silky.

10. Spoon into clean jars and allow to cool completely before sealing and chilling.