How to make Easy Lemon Curd Recipe - Crazy for Crust (2024)

FAQs

How do you stiffen lemon curd? ›

To thicken runny lemon curd, put the curd back into your saucepan, place over the lowest possible heat, and stir constantly.

Overcooking will cause proteins to bond too tightly, squeezing water out from between them and giving them a rubbery, lumpy texture. If you over-heat the lemon curd, the egg proteins can coagulate and you will see little bits of cooked egg.

It was also called lemon cheese. While curd resembles pudding or custard, the difference lies in the way it's thickened. Custards and puddings rely on cornstarch, milk and cream, while eggs are the primary thickener for curd, making it lighter and brighter.

Grainy or gritty lemon curd comes from curdled (over-coagulated) eggs, as a result of overcooking. The easiest way to prevent curdling is to use a double boiler to slow the rate of cooking-- and to monitor the temperature with a thermometer.

Allow the curd to cool to room temperature. To prevent a 'surface skin' from forming while it cools, place a clean piece of plastic food wrap down onto the surface of the curd or cover the bowl. Fill cooled curd into freezer container(s), leaving ½-inch headspace, and freeze immediately.

Remember that curd will thicken more once cooled. If your cooled curd is not thick enough, you can reheat it to thicken. Put it over a low heat, stirring constantly. Ensure it coats the back of a spoon before taking it off the heat.

Always beat the butter with sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and zest before cooking. This will prevent the curd from tasting eggy. Use a pan with a heavy bottom when cooking the curd. Stay away from aluminum pan.

Why does my lemon curd taste metallic? A metallic aftertaste is usually the consequence of the lemon curd coming into contact with a metal (especially while it's hot). This could be a metal whisk, a metal bowl, a metal (or metal-coated) saucepan, or a metal sieve.

Lemon Curd is an egg-based sauce so it requires gentle, low heat in order to not scramble the eggs. If you start to see lumps in the curd, then immediately remove it from the heat and transfer it to a bowl and whisk vigorously until it smooths out as much as possible.

Why is lemon curd not called jam? ›

What is the difference between curd and jam? Fruit curds are distinctly different from jams, since curds are made by cooking down fruit juice with sugar rather than the whole fruit. The result is a creamier spread.

As a topping, lemon curd is the perfect complement for everything from scones and pancakes to cheesecake and ice cream. It also works well as a filling — consider using it in crepes, pastries, tarts, or in between cake layers. Of course, we wouldn't judge you if you ate it with a spoon.

If your lemon curd turned green, it likely had a reaction to something metal. Avoid using a copper or aluminum pan as those will react with the lemon juice and cause the discoloration in the lemon curd, and could even cause a slightly metallic aftertaste.

Your lemon curd could get chunky and grainy if you let it overcook. One thing you should remember while making lemon curd is that you should never let it reach a point where it starts boiling. The ideal temperature for lemon curd is 170 degrees Fahrenheit, and it shouldn't cross that.

To paraphrase her note of caution, we are to make sure that no white pith gets into the curd mixture, either from the zest or from the juice, because it will make the curd bitter.

The few reasons to why your lemon curd may not be setting properly are not having enough eggs in the curd, too much liquid/ lemon juice, not enough sugar, not cooked long enough, scrambled eggs, and sometimes too much butter.

My lemon curd is too sour.

If you measured correctly according to the instructions and still feel it is too sour, you can add about ¼ cup more sugar next time you make it.

While in a warm climate, the curd will take around 4 to 7 hours, while it will take a bit longer in winters. In a cool climate it can easily take around 8 to 10 hours. Make sure the temperature of the milk before setting the curd is warm enough during winters, otherwise the curd won't set properly.

Lemon Curd will thicken once it's cooled and refrigerated. It can be difficult to reheat but I have done it successfully by placing it in a small saucepan and reheating over the lowest heat and by stirring gently. If it's reheated on a high temperature it will burn.