Organic Lemon Curd
This website uses affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase.
Organic Lemon Curd is easy and simple to make with this recipe! You can use homemade Lemon Curd for so many things including waffles, pancakes, cake fillings, cookie fillings, and more.
If you love lemon as much as I do, check out some of my favorite lemon recipes like Lemon Curd Coconut Thumbprint Cookies, Lemon Rosemary Sourdough, or my Meyer Lemon Pancakes.
Table of Contents
What is lemon curd?
Lemon curd is a tangy and creamy spread or sauce made from a mixture of lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and butter. It has a smooth and velvety texture with a bright, citrusy flavor that is both sweet and tart. Lemon curd is cooked on the stovetop until it thickens, allowing the eggs and butter to bind with the lemon juice and sugar, creating a luscious custard-like consistency. It can be used in many different ways, such as a filling for cakes, tarts, and pastries, or as a topping for scones, waffles, and French toast. Lemon curd adds a burst of vibrant flavor to any dish and is beloved for its refreshing taste and creamy texture.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Organic: I use organic ingredients in this Organic Lemon Curd so you can feel good about pure ingredients!
Homemade: Making your own homemade lemon curd is fun and easy. This simple ingredient doesn't take long and it's truly a treat when you take the time to make it at home.
Naturally Colorful: I love homemade lemon curd because it is so naturally colorful! This bright yellow and zesty ingredient brings flavor and color to any dish.
Use on Everything: Homemade lemon curd can be used for so many things! Fill cakes, cookies, add to frostings, top pancakes, waffles, toast and so much more.
Ingredients
Organic Lemons
Tools Needed
Subscribe to Mimi's Organic Eats Channel
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for all the latest videos. Bake and cook along with John John and me on YouTube!
Subscribing is easy and just by subscribing, you are directly supporting my site!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest into a heat proof bowl.
Step 2
Fill a small saucepan a third of the way with water, and place th bowl on top. Heat on medium heat, and whisk the mixture to avoid clumps from forming. Continue to whisk until the mixture has reduced by about one third, and it coats the back of a spoon, it should take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 3
Chop the butter into small pieces, and add into the egg mixture. Stir to combine completely.
Step 4
Transfer to a glass jar or bowl and add a piece of plastic wrap over the top to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to set in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
10 Things to Use Homemade Lemon Curd
1. Fill Thumbprint Cookies
You can use any thumbprint cookie recipe like my Coconut Lemon Thumbprint Cookies. The thing to remember when filling thumbprint cookies with lemon curd, is you want to bake the cookies first, do not fill them. Then, when they come out of the oven, use a teaspoon and place it into the center of the thumbprint to indent it more, as when you bake a thumbprint with the indent but nothing inside, it can puff up. So that's a trick for you! As soon as they are cooled, you can fill them with Lemon Curd. Just be sure to store cookies with lemon curd in the fridge.
2. Use For Cake Filling
If you are using this as a cake filling, you will still need buttercream frosting. So, you can use this with any cake recipe. When you put curd inside a cake as a filling, you need to put buttercream into a piping bag. When the first cake layer is on the stand, pipe a circle of buttercream around the outer edge of the cake, then you can fill the inside with lemon curd. Lemon curd is runny, so if you don't pipe a buttercream boarder with a filling like curd, it will leak out of the sides of your layer cake, and the layer cake will slide around. You can view my Strawberry Almond Cake, for instructions on how to put a filling into a layer cake. This would also be a great cake recipe to use with lemon curd, in place of this strawberry filling. Just be sure to store cake with lemon curd in the fridge.
3. Top Toast!
Lemon curd makes an amazing topping for toast! I love toast, it is my favorite thing ever to eat, and lemon curd is amazing on top of any kind of toast – sourdough, whole wheat, white. You can also top it with fresh blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries for a delicious and fruity breakfast.
4. Top Waffles, French Toast & Pancakes
Lemon curd is an amazing topping for homemade waffles, French toast or pancakes. Try adding it on top of my Homemade Waffles, Coconut French Toast, or my Meyer Lemon Pancakes.
5. Fill Sandwich Cookies
You can use any sandwich cookie recipe you like, but try my Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies for an amazing Lemon Earl Grey Sandwich Cookie. Just remember that lemon curd needs to be refrigerated, so if you make sandwich cookies, then they need to be stored in the fridge.
6. Add to Homemade Ice Cream
Use it in homemade ice cream. You can add it into the ice cream when it's still churning, or you can swirl it in when you're transferring it to the container.
7. Swirl into Whipped Cream
Swirl it into homemade Whipped Cream, you can use it as a topping for cakes and pies, or just dip strawberries and fresh fruit into it.
8. Add to Salad Dressing
Add it to salad dressing. If you make your own salad dressing and often use lemon juice, you can also use lemon curd!
9. Use in Cocktails
Add it into cocktails. If you're looking for a light and zesty cocktail, you can use lemon curd.
10. Fill Cupcakes
You can fill cupcakes with it. If you like cupcakes that are filled, lemon curd is the perfect addition. You can use it in any cupcake recipe. Just take Ateco tip #808 and plop it into the center of the cupcakes when they are cooled, to remove the middle. Fill them with lemon curd, and top with frosting! You'll get a sweet burst of citrus when you bite into that cupcake. Try it with my Simple Vanilla Cupcakes.
FAQ's
Yes, just add a pinch of salt to the recipe.
Yes, you can make orange curd if you replace the lemons with oranges.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
Craving More?
Organic Lemon Curd
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 113 grams cane sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 lemon (zest)
- 57 grams salted butter
Instructions
- Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest into a heat proof bowl.
- Fill a small saucepan a third of the way with water, and place th bowl on top. Heat on medium heat, and whisk the mixture to avoid clumps from forming. Continue to whisk until the mixture has reduced by about one third, and it coats the back of a spoon, it should take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Chop the butter into small pieces, and add into the egg mixture. Stir to combine completely.
- Transfer to a glass jar or bowl and add a piece of plastic wrap over the top to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to set in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
- Use in recipes!
Notes
Nutrition
Join Our Organic Community
Leave a Comment