Recipe for lemon curd

Do you know lemon curd, that English treat concentrated in lemony flavour? Literally “lemon curd”, we usually call it crème de citron in France. This delight was born in mid-19th century England and results from a skilfully balanced mix of lemons, eggs, sugar and butter. Four magical ingredients, and that’s all… that’s what gives it its unique flavour.

Sweet and tangy, it is simply enjoyed on a slice of bread or brioche, but lemon curd is perfect for filling tart bases or lemon tartlets, and for dressing pancakes, waffles and scones for an English teatime. Some even stir it into yoghurt or fromage blanc.

There are many recipes online with varying amounts of sugar. Here is my favourite recipe, brought back from Yorkshire a few years ago.

Ingredients

This quantity makes 2 jars of 325 g

Zest and juice of 3 untreated lemons
100 g butter, cut into small pieces
170 g sugar
3 eggs

Equipment

A fine grater
A citrus juicer
A whisk
A wooden spoon
Two saucepans for bain-marie (or a double‑walled saucepan for bain-marie)
Reused empty jam jars

Recipe

1. Grate zest and juice the 3 lemons. Pass juice through a sieve to remove as much pulp as possible.

2. Heat a large saucepan of water filled to one third until boiling, then reduce heat to minimum. In a second, smaller saucepan, combine juice, grated lemon zest and sugar.

3. Heat in bain-marie, stirring with wooden spoon until completely dissolved.

4. Lightly beat 2 whole eggs and the egg yolk in a separate bowl, and add them to the mixture;

5. Continue heating the mixture while whisking, and stir constantly until thickened, about 10 minutes;

6. As soon as cream coats the back of a spoon, add butter cut into small pieces. Remove from heat and mix well. Consistency should be thick but not too firm because butter will firm up when cooled;

7. Fill jars previously sterilised as for jams, let cool and reseal with lids;

8. Label (note date of preparation) and keep refrigerated. Once opened, lemon curd should be consumed within 3 weeks.

NB: without preservatives or thickeners, this homemade lemon curd keeps unopened in fridge for about 1 month, a little longer if jars are sterilised for 15 minutes while still hot after sealing. So always prefer to cook small batches, or prepare several small jars for end-of-year celebrations: they make an original treat for guests on Christmas Eve or for family under the tree!

Tip: If you double the quantities, use the two reserved egg whites to make some coconut macaroons or financiers. You can also freeze a jar of lemon curd for up to one year (defrost in fridge the day before).

For further reading

They are also called fruit curds in England, as this recipe can be adapted to other fruits whose zest can be used: orange, grapefruit, or passion fruit.

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