Lemon Curd

Its tangy and creamy qualities make it a beloved favorite among lemon lovers and dessert enthusiasts alike.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 30

Servings 1.5 Cups

Ingredients

½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt we use Diamond Crystal
1 large egg plus 3 large yolks
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus ⅓ cup fresh juice (from 2 lemons)
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

In a nonreactive pot, such as enameled or stainless steel, whisk together sugar and salt. Whisk in whole egg and yolks, then immediately whisk in lemon zest and juice.
Place pot over medium heat and bring mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly, until bubbling in center and thickened, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in butter. (For a thicker consistency, use 4 tablespoons; for thinner—say, for use as a sundae topping—use 3 tablespoons.)
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, to remove any zest and cooked pieces of egg white.
Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
Refrigerate until thickened and cold, at least 1 hour or, in an airtight container, up to 1 week (or freeze in an airtight container up to 2 months).

Notes

Variations
To make a firmer curd for layering in cakes, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in 2 tablespoons cold water; in step 2 above, stir gelatin mixture into thickened curd before adding butter.

You can also swap in other citruses: For orange curd, replace half the lemon juice with fresh OJ and all the zest with orange zest. For lime curd, replace all the juice and zest with lime juice and zest.