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Luscious Lemon Curd Filling
by
Jessica | Better with Buttermilk
(IC: instagram)
2 Cups
1 hr 45 min
A slightly thicker version of lemon curd with just as much ‘zest,’ I use this to fill cupcakes, enhance shortcake or puff pastry, fill tarts, and layer in parfaits! You can also serve this fresh berries and scones.
I really love the “Perfect Lemon Curd” recipe from Homemade & Yummy; however, I wanted something a little thicker to use as a cupcake filling. With some experimentation and additional tips and tweaks, I now give you my Lemon Curd Filling recipe!
This recipe is adapted from Homemade & Yummy’s Perfect Lemon Curd
Stores beautifully in the fridge for 1-2 weeks
Luscious Lemon Curd Filling
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp corn starch
- Zest from 2 large lemons (you need 1 tsp zest – this will depend on your lemons, but I usually need two!)
- 2/3 cups lemon juice (your 2 lemons will yield about 1/3 c lemon juice – so buy ready-made lemon juice to make up the difference)
- 4 large eggs (room temperature); you will use two eggs whole and two yolks
- 3 ounces unsalted butter
Instructions
Recipe Prep
- Let eggs and butter come to room temperature (get them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you begin)
- Zest the lemon(s) for 1 tsp of lemon zest – keep in mind that various lemons will yield different amounts of zest…that’s why you should have 2 lemons handy for this recipe!
- Squeeze the lemons - I find that 2 large lemons yield about 1/3 c of juice; measure out remaining juice to make a total of 2/3 cup
- Separate two yolks; place them in a bowl with the cracked whole eggs
- Carefully whisk together corn starch and sugar (you don’t want a cloud of corn starch in the air)
When you’re ready to cook:
- Using electric beaters, cream (whisk) the butter until it is blended and smooth – this takes about 15 seconds on medium low speed
- Add ½ sugar/corn starch mixture and beat on low; then, once the sugar/corn starch is mostly blended, add the rest. *Mixture will begin to look fluffier as it blends, but will not be completely blended (incorporated) due to the corn starch
- Add eggs, one yolk at a time, beat until each yolk is incorporated; once all eggs are added, beat for an additional 1-2 minutes
- Slowly whisk in lemon juice, a little bit at a time, blending after each addition. PS: don’t worry if the mixture looks a bit lumpy! Because of the acid in the lemons, the mixture may separate slightly – it will smooth back together once we start cooking
- Transfer to medium pan
- Cook over low heat, whisking continually, until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes
- Once mixture looks like it coming together again, increase heat to medium and cook, whisking continually, until mixture just begins to boil (about 5 minutes)
- Return heat to low and cook an additional 1-2 minutes to encourage mixture to thicken; continue to whisk! (The froth on top will blend back in – this means it’s done.)
- Remove from heat and stir in zest
- Place into a glass bowl or pan – choose a pan that wide so your mixture is about an inch thick once you transfer it (my bowl is 7 in in diameter with straight sides (so the bottom has the same width as the top).
- Immediately cover with plastic wrap PLACING PLASTIC DIRECTLY on the surface of the Lemon Curd Filling (lightly lay wrap on top of bowl – working in sections, gently lift wrap, ease it down onto the curd, and then move to the next section)
- Place bowl onto a cooling rack to encourage air flow underneath
- When curd filling is cool (check by placing your hand on the bottom of the bowl – it should be cool – this takes at least an hour), transfer to storage container(s) or your choice and put in fridge
Tips
- If I’m using this as a filling, I simply leave it in the glass bowl for later use; if I’m using it as a condiment, I put it in a cute jam jar! This Luscious Lemon Curd Filling stores beautifully in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Want more details about this and other recipes? Check out more here!
Published August 23rd, 2020 2:04 PM
Comments
Share your thoughts, or ask a question!
It came out so delicious and very easy to make! I used it as a pie filling.
Why not use 2 more lemons instead of bottled sauce?