Easy Lemon Curd Recipe
Microwave Lemon Curd Recipe!
That’s right, no need to stand over the stove stirring homemade lemon curd. Just whip up some of this easy lemon curd recipe in the microwave!
In my opinion, this is the easiest and the best lemon curd recipe. Smooth, creamy, and lemony. No need to look any further!
What is lemon curd?
First of all, for those of you that aren’t familiar with it yet…Lemon curd is a thick, creamy, tangy spread. You can buy it at many grocery stores and find it near the jams and preserves. But, obviously, you can also make it from scratch. 😉
You can use lemon curd on:
- scones
- toast
- muffins
- doughnut or pie filling
- mixed with whipped cream
- served with cookies
- cakes (including cheesecake)
- and more!
Lemon-lovers absolutely need to become familiar with it!
You can actually make a passion fruit version of it by using passion fruit puree or concentrate in place of the lemon juice. I haven’t tried this yet, but it sounds great! I am guessing you could try a lime version too. Yum!
DIY lemon curd ingredients:
The ingredients for this easy lemon curd recipe are common and simple, just freshly squeezed lemon juice, butter, sugar, and egg.
Make sure to Whisk the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
The first time I made this microwave lemon curd recipe, I ended up with little egg white pieces in the mixture and I believe it was because I didn’t combine the ingredients enough in the beginning.
Be sure to use a large enough microwave-safe bowl!
The lemon mixture foams up quite a bit during microwaving, so you will want the ingredients to fill up no more than 1/4 of the bowl.
It is a good idea to use a plastic or wooden spoon to stir the curd after each cooking increment. If you use metal with a hot lemon mixture, you may end up with a slight metallic taste.
Final Thoughts and Tips
The first time I made this lemon curd recipe I thought it was tricky to know when it was done, but I figured it out pretty well the second time around.
When it is done, it will start to stick to the back of the spoon a lot more than it did in the beginning. It will be thick enough to slightly mound or stay in place when you stir, and it looks about like the consistency of a gel to me.
It also behaves less like a liquid (as it does in the beginning) and more like a gel. I haven’t done this yet, but you can also check the temperature and look for about 187 degrees. Once it is cooled it will become even thicker and creamier.
I hope this tutorial helps you to achieve the most perfect and easiest lemon curd ever! Let me know how it goes for you in the comments!
More Dessert Recipes:
- Raspberry Yogurt Pudding Salad
- Lemon Poppy Seed White Chocolate Blondies Recipe
- Strawberry Cream Puff Pie Recipe
Easy Lemon Curd Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice 2-3 lemons, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 egg room temperature
Instructions
- Whisk together the egg and sugar in a large microwave-safe bowl. Then whisk in the melted butter and lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Be sure to use a bowl that is big enough to avoid bubble-overs. The lemon mixture should fill no more than 1/4 of the bowl.
- Microwave the mixture for 1-minute increments, removing from the microwave and stirring to combine after each minute.
- When the curd starts to thicken (sticks to the back of a spoon and starts to mound a bit as you stir) it's done. (It will be like a gel consistency, but will thicken more once cooled.) If you are unsure, you can look for a temperature of about 187°F/86.1°C. Cook time will take anywhere from 4 to 10 minutes, depending on the strength/power of your microwave.
- Stir the curd one more time, spoon it into a storage container, and refrigerate until firm.
- Keep curd refrigerated for up to 3 weeks; freeze for longer storage.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition