Perfect Lemon Curd Recipe | Homemade & Yummy (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my lemon curd thicken enough? ›

If your lemon curd hasn't thickened, it may not have been heated enough. It can take up to 30 minutes of constant stirring to cook lemon curd, especially if it's a large batch. Remember that curd will thicken more once cooled. If your cooled curd is not thick enough, you can reheat it to thicken.

Use Sufficient Egg Yolks

Lemon curd has traces of yellow in it naturally, but its striking golden colour comes from the yolks. Also, incorporating whole eggs is not preferred since the egg whites cause the lemon curd to become lighter.

Lemon Curd should thick enough to coat the back of a spoon when it's hot and should thicken up to pudding-like consistency when it's chilled. The curd can take up to 10 minutes to thicken to the consistency of pourable pudding, so be patient (remember it will thicken more once it cools).

What happens if I over-cook lemon curd? 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.

Use Full Cream Milk

Rich, full cream milk is considered best for making curd because of its high fat content. It results in a thicker, creamier texture often preferred by many people. Additionally, the fat in full cream milk can help create more flavour with a smooth, velvety texture.

Does lemon curd taste eggy? Although lemon curd uses egg yolks and/or egg whites, the final product shouldn't taste eggy. If it does, it may mean that you've overcooked your eggs. In saying that, traditional lemon curd does have a distinct after taste which doesn't sit well with some.

Pro tips for making this recipe

You'll know the curd is ready when it noticeably thickens in consistency and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

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.

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.

Caution: Make sure that no white pith gets into the curd mixture, either from peeling the zest, (cut any white pith off the backs of the peeled strips with a pairing knife if necessary), or from juicing the lemons (don't squeeze too close to the pith). Either of these things could cause the curd to be bitter.

Why does my lemon curd have foam on top? ›

Between the heat and whisking, lemon curd gets foamy while it's cooking. As the curd begins to thicken, the foam will start to settle down, and then the addition of the butter at the end of cooking eliminates the foam. So don't panic when you see foam, just keep whisking and cooking.

If your lemon curd has curdled or looks grainy, it may have been cooked at too high a temperature or for too long. To fix it, remove it from heat and quickly transfer it to a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.

Additionally, a sour or off smell is a good indicator that it has turned bad.

In a covered, airtight container for up to one week. It doesn't really freeze well. Lemon curd does contain eggs and dairy (butter), so I'd be ok leaving it out for the day if I plan on serving it, but anything overnight definitely would need to be refrigerated.

Why did my lemon tart crack? The oven was either too hot or the tart was baked for too long. I recommend using an oven thermometer for baking to determine if your oven temperature is accurate.

Improper Temperature: Temperature plays a crucial role in curd formation. If the milk is heated to a temperature that is too high, it can kill the beneficial bacteria in the starter culture, preventing proper fermentation and curd formation.

Yes in Indian curries it can be used as a cream substitute (which is also thickens sauces). This is another common thickening agent used within Indian cookery. I like to use Greek style yogurt rather than natural yogurt because it's thick, creamy and it doesn't tend to curdle in the pan.

The butter makes the lemon curd extra rich and creamy. And after you've chilled the lemon curd in the fridge for a while, the butter will firm up and make sure that the curd sets properly.

I have used agar agar and/or tapioca starch. I prefer a combination of the two, but they must be heated, so, it's best to heat the milk with the thickeners, let them thicken, then let it cool to luke warm, then add the yogurt starter, or whatever yogurt culture you're using.