{"id":194532,"title":"Lemon curd with vanilla","modified":"2026-10-30T20:54:40+01:00","plain":"A classic lemon curd with powdered sugar and Bourbon vanilla : egg yolks, lemon juice and butter brought together over a double boiler.\n\n\n\nTake a spoonful of chilled lemon curd, and the lemon hits first, bright and bold, followed by the richness of butter and the aroma of vanilla. This lemon curd is made without milk or cream : four egg yolks, the juice of two lemons, 100 g of butter and just 30 g of powdered sugar, thickened over a double boiler. Allow 20 minutes for 6 servings, plus cooling time. The low-carb version has a place among my keto sauces and dips.\n\n\n\nWhat Is Lemon Curd ?\n\n\n\nLemon curd is a creamy lemon spread thickened with eggs alone. The classic base combines whole eggs or yolks, lemon juice, sugar and butter ; it contains no milk, cream or other thickener. It is a little like a custard sauce, but thicker and much tangier.\n\n\n\nThis version uses only the yolks and is lightly sweetened, with 30 g of powdered sugar for two lemons. Bourbon vanilla, either powdered or scraped from two beans, softens the acidity without masking it. The curd is still loose when warm ; it thickens further as it cools and is served cold.\n\n\n\nAlso try : Sugar-Free Rhubarb Compote.\n\n\n\nThe Origins of Lemon Curd\n\n\n\nLemon curd comes from the British tradition of fruit curds, creamy citrus spreads thickened with eggs and butter. Its texture is like a thicker egg custard, but it gets its body from lemon, yolks and butter, without a drop of milk.\n\n\n\nSpread it like a thick jam on crepes or scones, dip cookies into it, or use it as a layer in a tart or trifle. Proportions and methods vary from recipe to recipe : some cooks heat everything together in one saucepan, which is faster but carries a greater risk of the eggs curdling.\n\n\n\nThe Main Ingredients\n\n\n\nThe 4 room-temperature egg yolks thicken the curd and bind the juice and butter together ; the whites are not used here. The juice of 2 lemons, also at room temperature, provides all the acidity.\n\n\n\nAlong the same lines : Cheesecake-Style Strawberry Cake.\n\n\n\nThe 100 g of butter give the curd its velvety texture and help it set when chilled. Grass-fed butter works well, and lactose-free butter or goat butter can be substituted. The vanilla, 2 teaspoons of Bourbon vanilla powder or 2 vanilla beans, infuses the butter as it melts.\n\n\n\nThe 30 g of powdered sugar dissolve quickly with the butter. For a sugar-free version, replace it with the same amount of powdered erythritol : its slight bite accentuates the lemon, hence the vanilla, and this option contains 3 g of net carbs per serving. Erythritol may recrystallize slightly when chilled.\n\n\n\nTechnique Tips and Serving\n\n\n\nFirst, melt the butter with the powdered sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan : it may foam a little, but it should not brown. Whisk the yolks with the lemon juice in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the mixture thickens. Watch the edges, where it starts to curdle first : if this happens, immediately lift the bowl off the steam, lower the heat and keep whisking, as a slightly overthickened curd can usually be saved.\n\n\n\nAnother recipe in the same spirit : Strained Yogurt.\n\n\n\nUse your finger to check : both the butter and the eggs should be warm, at roughly the same temperature, without burning when you dip a finger in. Otherwise, the curd will split. Then pour in the butter a little at a time, whisking ; in 5 to 10 minutes, the curd is ready. Divide it among small jars, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate, just as you would any egg custard.\n\n\n\nSee also : Gluten-Free Mini Lemon Meringue Tart.\n\n\n\nFor more low-carb ideas, browse all my keto recipes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tVanilla Lemon Curd\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t4 egg yolks (at room temperature)2 lemons100 g butter ((from grass-fed cows), substitute lactose-free butter or goat's milk butter)30 g powdered sugar ((or powdered erythritol for a sugar-free version))2 teaspoons Bourbon vanilla (powdered, or 2 vanilla beans)\t\n\t\n\t\tMelt the butter with the powdered sugar (or erythritol) and vanilla in the small saucepan. The butter may foam a little as it heats, but do not let it brown. Let it cool if it is too hot: when you use it, you should still just be able to dip a finger into it.Separate the eggs and place the yolks in the bowl that will later sit over the saucepan to form a double boiler. Do not use the whites.Add the juice of two lemons to the yolks. Use room-temperature eggs and lemons. Whisk together until smooth.Set the bowl containing the egg and lemon mixture over the saucepan of simmering water and keep whisking until the mixture becomes a little creamier. The egg yolks will gradually thicken. Do not let them curdle (this will happen around the edges first). If this happens, immediately lift the bowl off the steam, or remove the entire saucepan from the heat.Then lower the heat a little and continue. Even if the mixture has curdled slightly, you can still save the curd by stirring it thoroughly. Keep stirring. You should also just be able to dip a finger into the egg yolks without the mixture feeling too hot.The egg yolk mixture and the butter mixture should be at roughly the same temperature. This is essential, otherwise the curd will separate when you combine them (the fat and water will not mix). Both the eggs and the butter should therefore be hot, but not too hot. Pour the butter into the egg yolks a little at a time, stirring continuously.After about 10 minutes (often as little as 5), the curd should be ready. It will be creamy at this point, but will thicken a little more as it cools.\t\n\t\n\t\tA basic lemon curd recipe consists of whole eggs or egg yolks, lemon juice, sugar, and butter. Lemon zest is often added as well. It is a little like a pudding or a custard, but made without milk or cream. Eggs are the only thickener used.\nCurd is usually eaten cold. It can be spread like a thick jam on pancakes, for example, and is used in pastries and served with scones. You can dip cookies into it or use it as one of the layers in a trifle.\nThe proportions of the ingredients can vary from recipe to recipe, as can the preparation method. You can even simply heat everything together in a small saucepan. However, there is a slightly greater risk that the mixture will not come together properly or that the eggs will curdle too quickly.\nFor a low-carb version, I replace the sugar with powdered erythritol. Erythritol has a slightly sharp taste at the front of the mouth, which heightens the lemon's acidity. So I don't use too much lemon, and I add vanilla to round out the flavor. You can also make the curd with coconut sugar instead of powdered sugar or erythritol.\nEquipment: a bowl set over a saucepan to form a double boiler, a small saucepan, small containers, a whisk.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tDessertFran\u00e7aise","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=194532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194532\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/193978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=194532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=194532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=194532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}