Luscious Lemon Curd Filling

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
  • 2  Cups
  • Prep time: 90 Minutes Cook time: 15 Minutes Total time: 1 hr 45 min
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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.
Jessica | Better with Buttermilk
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