BEST LEMON CURD RECIPE (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my lemon curd get thick? ›

Why is my lemon curd not thickening? Make sure to cook the curd until thickened and bubbling. Stir it frequently with a rubber spatula or whisk to make sure it doesn't get lumpy. Once it's cooked, add cold butter and stir until it melts and becomes smooth.

The Wilkin & Sons curd was the clear winner for its smooth and creamy texture and "real lemon flavor," but the price tag raised eyebrows. The Wilkin & Sons curd was the clear winner for its smooth and creamy texture and "real lemon flavor," but the price tag raised eyebrows.

Keep stirring continuously to avoid further curdling and to help the ingredients re-emulsify. If there are still small bits of curdled egg or if the texture isn't smooth enough, you can strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids.

But WHY did the Lemon Curd scramble? I learned that day, based on the scientific fact that eggs do not curdle when cooked in the presence of starch, and because Lemon Curd has no starch (such as flour or cornstarch), it will curdle when the eggs get too hot.

I cook mine for about 2 minutes because I like thick lemon curd. Test the thickness by dipping the back of a spoon into your lemon curd and drag your finger across it. If it holds the shape without dripping off too quickly, it's done!

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.

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.

To prevent the curd from acquiring a metallic taste, make absolutely sure that all utensils coming into contact with it--bowls, whisk, saucepan, and strainer--are made of non-reactive stainless steel or glass. Since the tart pan has a removable bottom, it is more easily maneuvered when set on a cookie sheet.

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.

EDIT: I managed to fix it by reheating it, letting it get somewhat smooth, straining it, adding lemon juice, and then stirring more. I did it with one orange so I couldn't just start over again. I'm thankful for the advice though! The curd is now a beautiful orange, a bit thick and sweet, but really good!!

How do you fix lemon curd that didn't set? ›

Add a cornstarch slurry: First, ensure your curd is cooked to 170 degrees F and if it still hasn't thickened, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.

Firstly boil the milk and let it cool down a bit. Now add 1-2 tbsp milk powder and mix well (if you are using full-fat milk, skip this step). Then mix 1 tbsp curd starter and whisk the milk properly. Now pour the milk in the casserole and keep it in an undisturbed place till it sets.

Let's peel back the layers of this zesty enigma. It all comes down to chemistry. Lemon juice, a primary ingredient in lemon curd, is rich in citric acid. When this acid comes into contact with certain metals, notably copper or aluminum, a chemical reaction occurs.

If you have your heat too high you will curdle your eggs and have white bits in your curd. If you do, don't worry too much about it, you can still eat it as is, and you won't really notice a difference in the flavor, you just won't have that perfectly smooth texture.

While the lemon curd is fairly thick at this point, it thickens further once refrigerated. The flavor also mellows a bit as it refrigerates. It's quite sour at this point but it gets creamier as it refrigerates. You can refrigerate the lemon curd for 1-2 weeks, OR freeze it for a few months.

To thicken runny lemon curd, put the curd back into your saucepan, place over the lowest possible heat, and stir constantly.

*Use whole milk for thicker curd. Further simmering the milk for 10 minutes ensures that the curd thickens when it sets. However, don't burn the milk. *Ensure you use fresh, good quality curd culture and bring it to room temperature before adding it to the milk.

The temperature is too low. If the temp is below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the cultures will not ferment properly and the milk will stay runny. The temperature is too high. If the temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the yogurt will ferment too fast and will also render the yogurt runny.

The few reasons to why your lemon curd may not be setting properly are not having enough eggs in the curd, too much liquid/ lemon juice, not enough sugar, not cooked long enough, scrambled eggs, and sometimes too much butter.