Lemon Curd!  So intimidating for some, but so very easy to make at home!  I know – you’ve all heard the stories about people trying to make homemade lemon curd and ending up with scrambled eggs.  It’s so tempting to just pick up a jar from the shelf at the market and call it done, but what’s the fun in that?!  Making lemon curd at home is so easy!  It’s also pretty quick!

Imagine your life with this recipe under your belt…  Imagine the oohs and ahhs of those who taste it when they ask where you bought it and you reply (modestly, of course and with a little exaggeration) “Oh, I made it myself!  It wasn’t easy, but you’re worth the extra trouble!”  We can’t give away all of our secrets, friends!

Imagine, if you will, a delicious cake, with the thinest coating of fragrant and tangy lemon curd between the layers!  Or, perhaps filled inside a cupcake (which is what we’re doing in the video below).  If you like lemons, and I know you do, you won’t want to miss out on this one!

I’ll show you a super easy technique to make fresh, homemade, lemon curd in first video below.  Then, we’ll use that curd to fill some Pink Lemonade cupcakes and frost them with a tri-color rosette to finished them off in a lovely way.  I love the way that these turned out!  Be warned, this curd is tangy, so if you are looking for a softer taste, you may prefer a different filling – perhaps the white chocolate lemon ganache that we’re making next week!

Tools

• 1M Piping Tip (or, if you prefer, you could use a 1B)
• Cupcake Corer

Making the Lemon Curd

Filling and Frosting the Cupcakes

Print Recipe

Tangy Lemon Curd - So Easy!

Servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 3 ea. Egg Yolks
• 3 tbsp Cold Butter
• 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 pinch Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Servings Ingredients 3/4 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice 3 ea. Egg Yolks 3 tbsp Cold Butter 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar 1 pinch Kosher Salt 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

1. Get Water Simmering for the double boiler while you collect your ingredients.
2. In a heavy saucepan, combine the lemon juice, sugar and egg yolks.
3. Whisk to thoroughly combine and place over the double boiler.
4. Whisk constantly while heating to a simmer. The curd should start to thicken.
5. Once the curd has started to simmer and has thickened, remove from the heat.
6. Whisk in each of the tablespoons of butter until completely incorporated.
7. Whisk in the salt and vanilla.
8. Strain into a container and place plastic wrap directly on top of the curd so that a skin doesn't form.
9. Cool to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator until cold.

Recipe Notes

1. This is very tangy and works absolutely best as a thin coating in between cake layers.
2. If using for cupcake filling, I recommend a sweeter recipe to offset the tartness of the curd.