Spreads · ALWAYS FREE
Whole-egg lemon curd
A tart refrigerated lemon spread thickened with whole eggs and finished with cold butter, with finely grated zest retained.
Ingredients
Volumes are approximate. For baking, use a scale; Metric keeps the specified gram weights.
Let’s make it
- Whisk eggs, lemon juice, sugar, zest and salt together in a heavy small saucepan while cold. Set cold cubed butter nearby. Prepare a heatproof bowl over an ice-water bath without letting bath water enter the bowl.
- Cook over low heat, stirring continuously across the entire base and corners with a flexible spatula, about 8–12 minutes. The mixture must thicken enough to coat the spatula and reach 170–175 F /77–79 C throughout; do not boil. Lower heat or briefly lift the pan if the bottom thickens too quickly.
- Remove from heat and stir in all cold butter a few cubes at a time until incorporated. Scrape all curd and zest into the clean bowl; do not strain away zest or egg solids. If accidentally overcooked into visible egg lumps, the texture will be less smooth; do not claim a strained batch retains identical quantities.
- Stir over the ice bath for about 15 minutes to remove excess heat, then transfer to a shallow covered container and refrigerate at 40 F /4 C or below for at least 4 hours until set. The full 280-minute allowance includes preparation, cooking and chilling.
- Divide into 12 equal portions. Keep refrigerated and use within 3–4 days. Do not leave out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90 F /32 C. This formula is not validated for home canning or room-temperature storage.
Estimated nutrition
Per serving · 1 of 12- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 1.7 g
- Total carbohydrate
- 10.7 g
- Total fat
- 5.9 g
- Total sugars
- 10.3 g
Calculated from the listed ingredients and yield. Brands, draining, cooking and portioning can change the result. Not a laboratory analysis.
Calculation notes & sources
ESTIMATED per serving. Brand, crop, preparation, draining, pan residue and substitutions change actual nutrition. Not laboratory analysis. Each ingredient retains its primary food description and state. All listed ingredient masses are counted; cooking moisture changes do not change the stated portion count. No generic nutrient-retention factor is invented. Calories are kcal; protein, total carbohydrate, fat and total sugar are grams. Total carbohydrate includes fiber and is not net carbohydrate. Fiber and sodium are not displayed. Equal portions or explicitly counted items define the stated recipe yield. US/Metric display changes do not change these canonical inputs. Primary-source supplements are retained per ingredient where USDA lacks a field; missing values are never silently changed to zero. Twelve equal shares, not an asserted jar volume or cooked weight. All sugar, butter and egg counted; natural evaporation does not change the serving basis. Contains egg and milk. Gluten-Free conditional on package labels and preparation cross-contact.
View the ingredient calculations · Source 1Why it’s in this collection
- Vegetarian: Complete ingredient review of Whole-egg lemon curd: whole eggs without shell; fresh lemon juice; granulated sugar; cold unsalted butter; finely grated yellow lemon zest; fine salt. No meat, fish, gelatin or animal-rennet cheese is listed; eggs or dairy may be present.
Required label checks: Review the complete listed ingredients and all product labels. Accompaniments and substitutions require a new screen. Processing aids and cross-contact have not been certified.
Supporting reference · Supporting reference - Gluten-Free: Complete ingredient review of Whole-egg lemon curd: whole eggs without shell; fresh lemon juice; granulated sugar; cold unsalted butter; finely grated yellow lemon zest; fine salt. No wheat, barley or rye ingredient is listed. Oats, when present, must be labeled gluten-free; all packaged ingredients require label checks.
Required label checks: Review the complete listed ingredients and all product labels. Accompaniments and substitutions require a new screen. Processing aids and cross-contact have not been certified. Use gluten-free-labeled oats, baking powder, spices and other packaged ingredients as applicable; avoid gluten cross-contact. This is not a celiac or allergy safety guarantee.
Supporting reference
Calculations are estimates from the specified ingredients and portions. Brands, trimming, substitutions, and cooking losses change the result. This is recipe guidance, not individualized nutrition or medical advice.
Times are estimates. Images illustrate the dish; check ingredients and portions for your needs.
Use a food thermometer for meat, fish, and egg dishes. Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Safe cooking temperatures · USDA leftover guidance
