Homemade Lemon Curd
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 90ml (or ⅓ cup + 2 teaspoons) whipping cream
  • 3 lemons (about 110ml of juice)
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 120g granulated sugar
  • 90g (or ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
  1. Zest and juice the lemons. Combine the lemon juice, zest and the whipping cream in a small saucepan. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar and a splash of the cream mixture. Place a fine-meshed strainer over a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Place the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture over medium-high heat and heat, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture reaches scalding point, remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully drizzle the hot cream mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking continuously to prevent the yolks from scrambling.
  3. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring continuously with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens to the point where it can coat the back of a spoon.
  4. Take the pan off the heat and immediately pour the lemon curd through the strainer into the small bowl. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming and allow to cool to body temperature.
  5. Once the lemon curd has cooled sufficiently, mix in the butter until smooth. If the lemon curd starts to look curdled, the lemon curd was probably too cold when you added the butter. If this happens, gently heat the lemon curd over a pan of simmering water (au bain marie) for about 1 minute, mixing continuously. Take the bowl off the heat and mix for 2 minutes. If the mixture still doesn't look smooth, heat again and mix again. Don't let the lemon curd become too hot for the butter to melt and become greasy.
  6. Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
To test whether the mixture – or crème anglaise – is done, dip a spoon in the mixture and run your finger through the custard down the back of the spoon. If the path you’ve just created with your finger holds its shape, the custard is done. If you are unsure about this step, you can use a sugar thermometer. The crème anglaise is done once the mixture reaches a temperature of 80°C (175°F).
Recipe by The Tough Cookie at https://thetoughcookie.com/2014/04/11/homemade-lemon-curd/