Homemade lemon curd in under 10 minutes? No joke – here’s how.
January 23rd, 2012 by PJ HamelRecipe: Baking Banter
So, I was browsing through my Modern Baking magazine last night, and came across the slickest little recipe ever:
Microwave lemon curd.
I mean, I know you can make lemon curd at home, but doesn’t it involve egg yolks, and stirring a pot on the stove, and transferring some of the hot liquid from one bowl to another and back again…
No thanks – too busy!
But THIS lemon curd, made simply by stirring everything together and cooking in the microwave for 7 minutes?
I can do that.
Modern Baking, since I know you’re wondering, is the main trade magazine of bakery professionals: bakery owners and employees, caterers, wedding cake bakers, and anyone who makes their living with flour and sugar and eggs and all that good stuff.
They have a tips column I peruse with avid interest each month, in which a baker in, say, Skokie, Illinois, asks for a foolproof way to keep buttercream frosting from melting.
The column often includes short, simple recipes – short and simple because, when you’re making a living as a baker, the more efficient you are, the better.
The challenge is, most of the time these recipes A) assume a certain level of familiarity with common bakery practices (kind of like recipes used to be written back in the day – no directions, you’re just supposed to know what to do); B) they assume a certain amount of equipment (a dough sheeter, for instance); and C), they make 30 dozen of whatever, when all you want is 2 dozen at the most.
But this lemon curd recipe is different.
It doesn’t use any unusual techniques; no fancy equipment is necessary; and it makes just 1 quart of curd, easily cut back to a more manageable 2 cups.
Did I mention how easy this is?
How about how tasty?
Well, see for yourself; if you have lemons, sugar, butter, and eggs on hand, get out your microwave-safe bowl and let’s get started.
Put 2 large eggs and 1 cup sugar in a microwave-safe bowl.
Make that a BIG microwave-safe bowl; the eggs and sugar should take up no more than 1/4 of the bowl’s capacity.
Whisk to combine, then whisk in 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, which you’ve melted first.
Finally, add 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice. About 4 large, juicy lemons should do it.
Note: Modern Baking calls for the grated rind of the lemons as well as their juice. I prefer a super-smooth curd without stringy little bits of peel, but add it for more assertive lemon flavor, if you choose.
Whisk until everything is thoroughly combined.
Put the bowl on a plate (to catch any bubble-overs), place in the microwave, and cook in 1-minute increments, stirring after each.
High power? Low? I don’t know, my microwave doesn’t have any power levels. The instructions in Modern Baking say 3 to 5 minutes at “full power,” but if your ‘wave doesn’t have power settings – just wing it.
At first, you won’t see much change; as the curd heats it’ll foam up, but it’ll stay quite liquid.
Speaking of foaming up, this is why you put the bowl on a plate…
At some point – for me, it was 8 minutes – you’ll see the curd start to mound just a tiny bit. It’s subtle; it won’t be anywhere near the thickness of finished lemon curd. But it’ll definitely be thicker than it was to begin with.
As the recipe says, it should coat the back of a spoon.
Well, that’s kind of general, isn’t it? Doesn’t ANY liquid coat the back of a spoon?
I decided to take the curd’s temperature, just to make sure the eggs were thoroughly cooked.
At 187°F, they were indeed sufficiently cooked. And the curd was thick enough that it didn’t run right off the spoon, but kind of coated it – I guess.
Anyway, I stuck the curd (a scant 2 cups) in the fridge, and once it was thoroughly chilled… Eureka! It had thickened to a smooth, spreadable consistency, stiff enough to mound nicely when dropped from a spoon.
It’s not as stiff as jarred lemon curd…
…but it’s certainly stiff enough to dollop onto a ginger cookie and enjoy.
Or combine with whipped cream for a lemon icebox pie, or spoon into paczki – both of which I intend to try ASAP.
Stay tuned…
Read, make, and review (please) our recipe for Easy Microwave Lemon Curd.
Print just the recipe.
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:43 pm
I so make lemon curd, the old fashioned way, but am open to trying this! But you really had me at adding whipped cream to it. I made a lemon mousse with lightly sweetened whipped cream & folded the curd in and used it to fill a vanilla cake which was then iced in lemon swiss meringue buttercream. The remaining mousse was divine dolloped into the mouth from a spoon. (too much time to get a cookie!)
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:23 pm
PJ, I’ve been making it this way for years. I only ever make small amounts because hubby doesn’t like it. Careful not to leave it too long without stirring or you may get traces of egg white showing up. Delicious though! I have a cake recipe that works well with this. Make a Victoria Sandwich mix as usual, and divide between two sandwich tins, whip up some meringue and pile on top of both UNCOOKED layers. Bake as usual until the cake is firm and the meringue cooked. Sandwich cooled cakes with lemon curd and cream (you get meringue layer in middle and on top of cake.
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:42 pm
I have a ton of lemons still left on my backyard tree. I’ve about run out of ideas for what to do with all that goodness. Do you think this curd could be canned? I’ve seen recipes for canned lemon curd but it’s always made the old school way, so I’m wondering if this method would work as well.
Don’t know, Melanie – but I don’t see why making curd the microwave way would affect the final result and make it unsuitable for canning, if you have a canning recipe that uses those same basic ingredients, and is made the stovetop way… PJH
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:50 pm
What’s the refrigerated shelf life of this? Sounds delicious!
Well, most homemade lemon curds have about a 3-week life in the fridge; I’d wager this one is similar. Still, it’s so fast and easy to make, why not make it just before you want to use it, then eat it up before you have to start worrying about shelf life? Heck, you could even make a half recipe… PJH
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Wow, is this timely. I was going to make lemon curd today the old-fashioned way because I brought in a whole bunch of lemons yesterday off the tree. I’ll have to try this!
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:55 pm
What is the shelf life?
Don’t know – I just made it yesterday.
I’d assume, like other fresh lemon curds, it’s about 3 weeks or so; the large amount of sugar acts as a preservative (think jam), but unlike jam, it has eggs and butter as well…
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:01 pm
I can’t wait to try this. I’ve been experimenting with lemon curds–homemade and store bought–since I got my Maryann pan (spelling?) that bakes small cakes with a “well” in them. By next summer, I want to perfect a small cake for fresh strawberries and lemon curd. And after reading this, I will definitely fold it into some whipped cream first.
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:03 pm
And a quick question: What exactly is the difference between the Meyer lemons and the regular lemons? What would the result be if I substituted Meyer for regular lemons?
Meyer lemons have an edible skin – it’s not mouth-puckeringly sour like the skin of standard lemons. I believe their juice tastes about the same; so as this recipe uses only juice, substitute away, Marcin – PJH
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Can the resulting curd be frozen for later use?
Yes, it sure may! Elisabeth
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Would adding a little lemon oil, in place of the lemon zest, intensify the flavor? Or would the oil keep it from setting up? And, does curd need to be citrus? How about ginger curd? mango? vanilla? cranberry?
WB, I’m sure the lemon oil would be just fine – or Fiori di Sicilia, which would add that touch of vanilla. I think you need the acid of the lemon to help set the eggs and make it thicken; but I’ve seen raspberry curd, so it doesn’t have to be citrus. Just not sure it would work without some acidic ingredient (e.g., vanilla might be tough, but cranberry would probably work). Interesting thought… PJH
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:01 pm
I saw the recipe this morning, and I just made some this afternoon. It really is that easy! I’m making lemon tarts with fresh blueberries. Thanks!
Yummmmmmm…. Janet, that’s a great use for this simple treat. Thanks for the inspiration! PJH
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:46 pm
So glad to see this. I brought some lemon curd home from England a few years ago. Loved it on scones and was sorry when the jar was empty. I will make this for sure!
Cindy, you’ll be amazed how easy it is – and much less expensive to boot! Good luck – PJH
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:36 pm
Mmmm, I love lemon curd, but it always seemed too much work to make at home. I love it mixed into homemade yogurt. Definitely going to try this. Why stop at lemon–bet this would work with lime, orange, or any citrus fruit?
Margy, should work fine with any citrus fruit. How about clementines? YUM…
PJH
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:44 pm
May I suggest, if you’d like the lemon flavor of the zest without the stringy bits, put the zest in your food processor with a cup or so of the sugar and process until there is nothing but sugar texture. I usually just use a vegetable peeler to take the outside layer off the lemon (orange, whatever) and rough chop it before I dump it in the processor with sugar.
Gwen, good idea – I’ll try that next time. PJH
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Genius! I can’t wait to try this; extra lemons have now been added to the shopping list. I’m thinking of a gingerbread trifle made with lemon curd and whipped cream…
I’m with you, Maureen – love that ginger/lemon flavor combo! PJH
January 24th, 2012 at 1:56 am
I am definitely intrigued. I have shied away from making lemon curd because when I made it some years ago, it took a while and resulted in a metallic-like taste. I have no idea what went wrong, but if you have insight, please share. It seems to be an issue, as several folks online complained of the same thing. Anyway, this recipe has motivated me to try lemon curd again, so thank you!
Sheena, the metallic taste might have come from making lemon curd in an aluminum pan on the stovetop, due to the acidic lemon juice reacting with the aluminum in the pan. The microwave method should take care of that. Another possibility is using bottled rather than fresh-squeezed lemon juice. – PJH
January 24th, 2012 at 9:34 am
I’d like to make this non dairy. Any other changes necessary if I sub margarine for butter? Thanks!
I think that’ll work, Debi – no guarantees, as I haven’t tried it, but it sounds reasonable. PJH
January 24th, 2012 at 9:51 am
I’ve never made lemon curd in the microwave, but I do make coconut pie filling and chocolate pie filling in the microwave using the same method.
It’s so nice to complete in 10 minutes what it would generally take me 30 minutes (or more) over the stove!
Thanks for the idea, Deede – I’m absolutely going to try that next time I do a chocolate cream pie… PJH
January 24th, 2012 at 9:58 am
Since it’s getting to be that time of the year – I frequently make hamentaschen with a lime curd filling and they taste wonderful. I think I just found my shortcut. Now I’m wondering about pomegranate curd. I have this bottle of pomegranate juice in the fridge that no one wants to drink. I guess we’ll be finding out what pomegranate hamentaschen taste like.
Interesting…. let us know how it turns out, OK? PJH
January 24th, 2012 at 10:47 am
Thank you so much for posting this! I already have a humongous stack of recipes to try, but one like this that simplifies my baking will be put on TOP of the pile
And lemon is just the thing to brighten any winter day. Can’t wait!
January 24th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
@ marcin – Meyer lemons DO taste much different than “regular” lemons. They are much sweeter – less “puckery”, almost a cross between a lemon & an orange. I use them to make my lemon meringue pie.
January 24th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Thank you so much, Bridgid. I have always wondered. So now I have to try the Meyer lemons. I’m daydreaming about a package of puff pastry with a lemon curd filling. All for myself!
The holidays are over and it’s just me and the fridge! 
January 24th, 2012 at 6:42 pm
This sounds amazing and doable, too. Could you please tell me how long this would last, assuming it’s not eaten first?
Not sure, Dee, but the usual shelf life of homemade lemon curd is about 3 weeks… if, as you say, it lasts that long!
PJH
January 24th, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Thanks for a wonderful sounding recipe PJ. In the past I’ve made a lemon curd pie – the pie filling is very liquid and as the pie bakes the ‘curd’ thickens – it is really pucker power but oh, so good. Meyer Lemons are the answer. Another way to use the lemon curd is to make meringue, as if for lemon meringue pie, and fold the lemon curd into the meringue. I would serve this in a glass parfait dish and my children really loved it and didn’t realize they were eating meringue as the texture was more souffle like.
Excellent ideas – thanks! PJH
January 24th, 2012 at 11:32 pm
Wow, that WAS easy … and tasty!
I have Meyers and Eurekas in my backyard, and I will add that besides being sweeter, Meyers have a more floral aroma than Eurekas. Meyers are a cross between lemons and mandarins, and they have that very thin peel like mandarin oranges.
@Sheena — Interesting. I also often note a metallic taste, even when I am cooking lemon curd the “old-fashioned” way in an enamel-lined pan and stirring with a wooden spoon. So there’s no reacting with aluminum in that case; must be something else. Hope somebody out there can enlighten us!
Thanks for the update. I wonder if the metallic taste can come from adding the grated peel? Peel can sometimes have a bitter flavor that might seem metallic-like… They’re always saying to “avoid the bitter pith,” although truthfully the white part just tastes bland to me. Still, there must be a bitter element somewhere in the peel… PJH
January 25th, 2012 at 6:36 am
Ooooh, just in time for Meyer lemons in the store right now! I like the less thick consistency…one reason I don’t buy the jarred stuff. This would be great on some homemade gingerbread cake. Making it this weekend!
I know, Meyers are back in the stores, perfect for those of us who don’t happen to have a tree in the backyard!
PJH
January 25th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
This looks really fun. I have a bag of Meyer lemons in the fridge.
Which cookies would you spread them on? I am also intrigued by the lemon braided bread, but I am leaning more towards a dessert. Any cake suggestions? Thanks!
Lemon curd would be wonderful on so many cookies including vanilla dreams, very lemon cookies, and it would also be a great cake filling. I can definitely imagine it between layers of our tender white cake. ~Amy
January 25th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
So I did try this with clementines, had a stray lemon and added it also, with finely grated lemon and clementine zest. Took six minutes to reach 187deg on my new Thermapen (my Christmas gift from my sister–love it!). I did take a few tablespoons out to quick chill in the freezer to check the consistency. YUM! Not as thick as commercial, but delicious. It made enough to fill two sterilized 1 cup canning jars for the fridge, with enough left over to eat now. I did a little informal survey of some commercial curds–they all contained some sort of thickening agent (xanthum gum, agar, pectin, locust bean gum, tapioca starch, etc). This seems to be basically a kind of stirred custard using citrus juice instead of milk, but without the painful need to stand over the stove stirring (I’m all about the shortcuts).
Congratulations on the Patriots win. I am mourning my Ravens–so close, yet so far (sniff, sob, dramatic beating of breast)!
Margy, interesting twist – bet it’s delicious! As for the Ravens – they had the WORST-LUCK 15 seconds of football I ever saw, between the dropped pass and missed FG. Being a Red Sox fan for 45 years, I can truthfully say – I feel your pain…
PJH
January 25th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Here is a tip for you PJ, if you want to use lemon zest but don’t want to strain or have strings; put the sugar and lemon zest in the food processor for 3-5 minutes.
This has 2 benefits 1. zest is ground to a pulp, literally! 2. sugar is ground finer so the resulting curd is smoother. I usually let the sugar grind while I am juicing so no extra prep/cook time.
This also is a great infused sugar for tea. Zest of 3 lemons, 1.5 C. sugar, grind 3-5 minutes use right away or dry and store in air tight container.
Darn, now I’m wishing I hadn’t composted all those “spent” lemons! I am totally going to make lemon sugar next time. Thanks, Mikki – PJH
January 25th, 2012 at 6:21 pm
I’m dreaming of ginger bread with a BIG dollop of this on top!
Oh, boy… doesn’t THAT sound yummy! PJH
January 25th, 2012 at 7:19 pm
I’ve been using this method for years – love the microwave for this kind of cooking. The main trick is not to just leave the micro running – watch and stir often. Also, if I don’t need so much I put some in the freezer. Just get it out and put it in the refrig for a day or so and you’re set to go. Yummmmmy!
Thanks for the freezer tip and the hints, Daphne – much appreciated! PJH
January 25th, 2012 at 9:12 pm
Boy oh boy, where do all these people live who are going out the back door and picking lemons off a tree!? I have a foot of snow out my back door and I’m lucky if I can find a decent lemon in the store.
I had a foot of snow in my backyard Sunday – by Tuesday it was gone. YEAH! Why did I bother to shovel? Love the January thaw…
PJH
January 26th, 2012 at 12:34 am
This is for Melanie. I tried to can lemon curd last year. My jars were half empty and all the curd had gone into the water. THEN I read up on it and it said you cannot can anything with eggs in it. So freezing it is .
January 26th, 2012 at 1:16 am
@HMB and PJH: I’ve never put peel in my curd,so I have no idea what went wrong. Perhaps I just overcooked? I’m excited to try this recipe to see if I can finally enjoy a home-made curd. My Meyer lemons will definitely be harvested this weekend. Thank you both for your comments
.
Good luck, Sheena – let us know how it comes out. PJH
January 26th, 2012 at 7:02 am
Haha thank you for this!!! I’ve always struggled with the “coat the back of a spoon” directive … This looks amazingly delicious, but I don’t know what to put it on! I’ve never had the luxury of fresh lemon curd in the house, so I’m not sure what to do with it. Do I need to make some scones, too?
Yes! This is a calling for scones. You may use it to flavor whipped cream, butter cream or pastry cream. You could also fill a tart shell with the curd followed by fresh fruit or spread the curd in between cake layers. I like to just eat it with a spoon, personally. Elisabeth
January 26th, 2012 at 7:08 am
One of my fondest childhood memories is eating the “left-over” lemon curd my mother made. I remember her stirring for what seemed like forever so never tried it myself. I’m adding this to my list of “treats for me” and love the idea of blueberry tarts. On another note… I chop crystalized ginger and put it in the food processor with sugar to use when rolling ginger cookie dough. Tiny bits of ginger remain and give the cookies an extra “pop”. Plus, it looks really pretty on the cookies.
This sounds heavenly. Ginger and lemon is over the top good! Elisabeth
January 26th, 2012 at 7:14 am
I have only made curd the old fashioned way, and since I don’t own a microwave, cannot immediately try this out.
for the other poster, tho — I have made lemon, lime, and clementine curd – all very good. grapefruit curd seems very interesting, too.
the canning books say you can can curd (!!) but it needs to be kept in the fridge, even unopened. it will keep for 3 months that way – but who can keep this for 3 months without eating it?
also, I have added curd to buttercream frosting for the outside of a cake, while putting curd on the layers in between. yummy!
January 26th, 2012 at 7:38 am
I am definitely going to try this! I don’t mind making it on the stove, but if this turns out well, then why bother?! : )
Will you-all be adding this to your recipes (for easier printing)?
I am not sure about that but will put in a request to our web team. Elisabeth
Sure, I can add it to our recipes… PJH
January 26th, 2012 at 7:44 am
Don’t use bottled lemon juice unless you are using pure lemon juice. The stuff that comes in the green bottles is reconstituted and it isn’t the same. Meyer lemons are less acidic and I think jucier. Supposedly they are a combination of oranges and lemons. I make a lemon curd on top of the stove that calls for a double boiler, but I don’t use one and just stand there and stir constantly. Doesn’t take even 10 minutes.
You are brave. I learned my lesson on the stove top. I was making a mega batch and was not as careful as I should have been (multi-tasking got the best of me). My curd ended up with little bits of scorched curd throughout. It had a nice smoky taste! Well, smoky, but not nice! Elisabeth
January 26th, 2012 at 9:03 am
I also loathe finding stringy bits of peel in smooth things and will try the lemon sugar option for this – thanks for those suggesting that! For recipes with less sugar, would the new lemon powder you’re carrying work as a substitute for peel? If so, in what proportions?
Thanks for the great recipe!
You could try adding about 1-2 t. of lemon powder for starters. Experiment! Elisabeth
January 26th, 2012 at 9:29 am
Was wondering if Splenda would work in place of sugar? Us diabetics LOVE lemon curd also, but so much sugar!
I would not use Splenda exclusively. Try using half Splenda and have granulated sugar. Let us know how it goes, Jan. Elisabeth
January 26th, 2012 at 10:19 am
I am a working mom and I have no time to cook for my kids. This seem a very easy to make. I will definitely try this…thanks!
January 26th, 2012 at 10:27 am
This sounds so good! I’ve got a Duncan Hines Tiara pan, AKA Mary Ann pan (remember the Tiara dessert mixes from the 1980s?) and I’ve been wanting to try a cake filled with lemon curd. A question — could I cook this mixture on the stove, using a glass bowl as the top portion of a double boiler setup? Yes, I realize the microwave would be more convenient! I just sort of like cooking with the stove…call me weird.
I love that pan. The curd will be perfect! Yes, you may use a glass bowl. Elisabeth
January 26th, 2012 at 10:27 am
@Sheena
I don’t always put in the peel (depending on if I’m in a hurry or what I’m doing with the curd), so I don’t think that’s it either. Maybe it has to do with how long the lemons have been on the tree or something like that — maybe there is something in the lemons that some people can taste when the concentration hits a certain threshhold. All I know is sometimes I taste it, and sometimes I don’t.
I am a texture gal, so I love the zest. The curd will create quite a punch without it. But, if you want more, the addition of lemon powder or lemon oil to suit your taste buds would be fine, too. Elisabeth
January 26th, 2012 at 10:39 am
I can hardly wait to try this recipe. I have a Meyer Lemmon tree in my yard. I know that Meyer Lemons are a cross between a lemon and a tangerine. I am going out to pick some and make curd. My friends are going to be happy I found this recipe (:
Meyer lemons are a treasure. Your curd will be sweeter! That is not a bad thing. Just not as much zing. Elisabeth
January 26th, 2012 at 10:53 am
I can’t wait to try this with the Meyer lemons I have in the fridge. As far as the thickening goes, how about adding airflow ClearJel before it refrigerating?
Sure, Elaine, give it a try – I’d mix it with some of the sugar first, otherwise it’ll clump, and go ahead and cook it right along with the rest of the ingredients. Let us know how it comes out – PJH
January 26th, 2012 at 11:23 am
oh my….wow….this is so good….and so easy….the most time consuming part was zesting the lemons. I freeze the zest to use in other baked goods. I microwaved it for 45-second intervals 10 times, wrote 1 thru 10 on a piece of paper, crossing off each number when I put the bowl back in, could never remember otherwise!! Thank you, thank you, I love this.
Glad it worked well for you, Anna – I want to try this with tangerine juice next… PJH
January 26th, 2012 at 11:30 am
I am making this …for sure.
From your great magazine… or in your own vast knowledge, what is the definite temperature of butter when making real butter cream? Everything I read is descriptive, not degrees.
I just recently learned that room temp butter was 70 degrees and you find out by sticking the instant read thermometer in the cube. Duh! And for years I pushed my finger in the cube and said, “maybe this would be right”. I have yet to get butter for butter cream just right.
Patricia: here’s the good news. There is no one, single temperature that’s right for buttercream. You might want to check out the blog on Italian Buttercream here ; I show all the things you can do to try and break one. I’ve put cold butter from the refrigerator into hot meringue to bring its temperature down, then switched to soft butter to finish the frosting. If all the butter you have for the frosting is soft and at room temperature, you’ll want to make sure the meringue is around 80 to 85 degrees before you start adding it to the mixing bowl. Susan
January 26th, 2012 at 11:38 am
Okay! That’s IT! You are all making me salivate with this talk of lemon curd. I’m going to the grocery store to see if I can find some Meyer lemons, and if not, the regular kind will do! I’ve just got to have some of this stuff for the leftover ginger cookies!!
January 26th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
I’m English, have lived here for 30 years and always make my own lemon curd since it’s nicer and so much cheaper than the imported version (sorry Your Majesty!)
I did try canning it once, but it separated. I still used it, just gave it a good stir, but it was extremely runny – more like a sauce.
There’s nothing quite a like a traditional English Victoria Sponge cake, sandwiched with lemon buttercream and fresh lemon curd. Oooo – I’m off to round up the ingredients!!!
January 26th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
I can’t wait to try this method- I made a big batch today and I always cook it in a double boiler whilst stir, stir, strirring! Also I do put the rind into the sugar and whiz it in the food processor- I like the extra tang that it gives without adding more juice- does that make sense? Also, to the person who asked what to do with an abundance of lemons- I zest them first, extract the juice, and it can be stored in the frig for a couple of weeks. I have also frozen it in small quantities to be used at will. Hope this helps.
Yes, pulverizing the peel with sugar makes a lovely lemon sugar – don’t know why I didn’t do that, but I surely will next time! When I have a lot of lemons, I juice them, add sugar to the juice, and use the resulting syrup to make lemonade, one glass at a time. SOOO good… PJH
January 26th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Just noticed in my comment that my iphone auto-corrected my wording from “a little ClearJel” to “airflow ClearJel.” Anyway I will try cooking it with the ClearJel and see how it goes!
January 26th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Well, now I now what I am going to do with all that organic lemon juice I froze after making Limoncello!!
January 26th, 2012 at 11:13 pm
Oooohhhhhh…….I am SOOO jealous of all you folks who have Meyer lemons in your stores or growing in your backyards!! But, can’t wait to try this recipe with the plain old lemons I am forced to PURCHASE! ♥
January 27th, 2012 at 7:30 am
Trisha T, think the lemon curd would go SOOOO well on ginger snaps!
January 27th, 2012 at 11:17 am
So I have been craving lemon _anything_ ever since seeing this. But I need lemons…
Western New York might be enjoying “spring” – but we don’t quite have those lemons in the backyard!
Can’t wait to try this. Thinking sugar-cookie base, lemon spread on top…
And since you’ll have some egg whites around, a little meringue on top? Susan
January 27th, 2012 at 11:23 am
Can this be done on an Induction cook top instead of the microwave?
Sure, it can. The cooking method will be somewhere in between the traditional and PJ’s microwave method. Whisk everything together, but put it on a saucepan that works on your induction burner instead of in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. Inductions are pretty quick, so you’ll want to stay with it. As soon as the curd thickens, pour it out of the pan into another container so the heat from the pan doesn’t continue to cook the mixture. Susan
January 27th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Can I replace lemon with key lime to make key lime curd? And if I mix the curd with whipped cream,that would be delicious keylime pie. I should try that! Did anyone try that?
No reason key lime juice shouldn’t work, like PJ said. Make pie while the limes are plentiful! Susan
January 27th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
O.M.G. PJ, you are the best EVER!!! I’ve got some clementines that are just begging to be used in this recipe! And this gives me an excuse to make scones to go with it (like I need an excuse). My best friend is going to go positively bonkers when I bring her some! And she loves lemon curd so I’ll have to make some of the original recipe for her! Thanks so much PJ!!!!! (And thanks Modern Baking!)
Thanks for your enthusiasm, GG! Don’t you love it when you chance across something like this? Let us know how the clementine curd comes out, OK?
PJH
January 28th, 2012 at 10:53 am
I’ve made a lemon lavender curd in the traditional manner for years. I use lavender-infused sugar (regular sugar stored with organic lavender for several days, then strained) and both lavender and meyers lemon zest in the curd. The whole mess is strained after cooking. I just made a batch using this method and noticed that the lavender component is reduced to a bare hint. I’m thinking that because the cooking time is so much less, the lavender volatilizes less. Anyone have any ideas?
It may have to do with how old the lavender sugar is; the volatile compounds in it may be slowly dissipating over time. You could increase the amount of lavender you’re putting in before straining it back out. Since microwaves cook by agitating the molecules in the food from the inside out, I suspect you may be losing more of the lavender’s oils than you realize using this method. Does the inside of the microwave smell of lavender when you open it? It would also be interesting to see if cooking the curd with a loose covering of waxed paper makes a difference. Susan
January 29th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
I made the lemon curd yesterday- delicious and it only took 5 min in my microwave. Then I whipped 1 cup of heavy cream and mixed that with it and put it in a graham cracker crust- into the freezer overnight and my family and I enjoyed a lemon icebox pie! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Just what I was planning to do with it – you beat me to the pie! Thanks for letting us know how it came out – PJH
January 29th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Can’t wait to have my cooking students make this. Although in a post above it does say you can freeze it will the consistency be different upon thawing? Will there be any separation after thawing? Just trying to be ready for any eventuality.
I haven’t tried freezing it myself yet, Diana. Readers, can someone who’s frozen lemon curd chime in here? Thanks- PJH
January 30th, 2012 at 1:52 am
I made the curd today, and it was a success! It’s the only curd that’s ever worked for me, and the best part is that I didn’t have to baby it over s hot stove. There was no metallic taste – hurrah! Thanks, PJ!!
Excellent, Sheena, so glad to hear it! Thanks for reporting back – PJH
February 1st, 2012 at 1:17 pm
OMG! My husband just gained 10 lbs. He loves lemon curd, but I don’t make it often because of the stirring and time involved. I can’t wait to try this. Also, thanks for the heads up about “Modern Baking.” It looks like a great magazine.
February 1st, 2012 at 4:43 pm
This has to be one of the simplest lemon curd recipes ever, Thank you for sharing! And to the others who commented about making chocolate fillings as well. Who knew?? Thank you!
February 1st, 2012 at 6:41 pm
I’ve been making microwave lemon curd for years! It’s a wonderful, near-foolproof method. I add a couple of extra yolks to mine, however, for richness and texture. As well, I zest my lemons with a vegetable peeler, so that it comes off in large strips, and then remove them from the curd after cooking. That way you get the flavor, but no ‘bits’ in the curd!
I’m with you on the no-bits-in-the-curd rule. I don’t like pulp in the OJ either! ~Amy
February 1st, 2012 at 8:01 pm
I received a box in the mail yesterday from my brother who lives in FL – fruit from his trees, including Meyer lemons! Made this curd last night, and I’m embarassed to say there is none left 24 hours later. It’s THAT good. It’s especially good mixed into plain, drained yogurt which I also made last night. A keeper recipe, but one that I obviously can’t make often (2 eggs, a cup of sugar and a stick of butter – my poor arteries!)
February 2nd, 2012 at 12:29 pm
This is so delicious and easy! I made it yesterday and enjoyed it this morning on toasted homemade bread. It’s really tangy, I think, because I cut the amount of sugar from 1cup to 3/4cup and added a pinch of salt.
February 4th, 2012 at 10:56 am
Another way to get some of the lemon zest essence into the curd without stringiness would be to steep finely grated lemon zest in the juice for a little while, then strain to remove the zest bits.
The sugar+zest+food processor idea from Gwen, mikkianderson, Amazonium and others above is a great one and I’m going to try that when I make this lemon curd recipe over the weekend.
February 5th, 2012 at 12:05 pm
OH. MY. GOD. Soooooo good. I halved the recipe and made it in my largest microwave-safe bowl; no spillovers. I zested one of my lemons, then combined the zest with part of the sugar in my mortar and pestle, and ground the zest into a paste before adding it back to the sugar and continuing with the recipe. This stuff is OUTRAGEOUSLY good. I’m going to experiment with substituting half the lemon juice with lime (I think all lime would be too tart) and with orange (I think all orange would be too sweet). Maybe even grapefruit.
All sound good, Randy… it’s a versatile recipe, for sure. PJH
February 5th, 2012 at 3:24 pm
I just tried makng this, and after 3 hours cooling it still isn’t thick. I cooked it for 12 minutes, but maybe that wasn’t enough with my microwave. Can I safely recook it, either in the micro or stovetop? I hate to waste the ingredients, and it smells lovely! But should I be concerned about the eggs?
Thanks for your help!
Sorry, Quinn, without knowing how hot it got the first go-around, I wouldn’t feel comfortable advising you on the safety of the eggs at this point. Sounds to me like your microwave might not get very hot. Or, maybe you didn’t use large eggs? You might want to call our baking hotline, 802-649-3717; they can talk you through this, find out what happened. PJH
February 6th, 2012 at 9:02 am
Thanks, PJ, you must be right about my micorwave, but I didn’t have a thermometer to check. The eggs were very large, organic and very fresh…right out of my Poultry Palace that morning. I thought I saw that “spoon coating” thing, but apparently I was in too much of a hurry to eat lemon curd! Oh well, live and learn
I’ll definitely try again – thanks for your help!