When life gives you lemons? Be grateful and get into the kitchen! It’s my favourite home-produce time of year – the Meyer Lemon tree in my back yard is groaning under the weight of ripening fruit. Be prepared for plenty of lemon-y recipes over the next few months.
Most Australians call this recipe Lemon Butter, but it’s also known as Lemon Curd, and it is fabulous in tartlets, as a spread on bread, in the bottom of a lemon meringue pie, or dropped in fat dollops over ice-cream.
I have also been known to eat it straight out of the jar with a spoon – purely for medicinal purposes of course.
Ingredients:
4 large eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, finely grated zest of a lemon, 125g butter (4oz or 1/4 pound) chopped into small cubes. Ensure all ingredients are ready before you start. (This will make around 2 cups, but you can easily double the quantities for more – that’s what I do so I have some to give away.)
Method:
Make a double boiler by half filling a saucepan with warm water and bringing it to a very slow simmer, and then snugly fitting a basin over the top.
Pop the sugar and eggs into the basin, and begin whisking. You could use a wooden spoon if you prefer but what’s not to love about a good whisk? Beat until the sugar is dissolved. Then dump in the cubes of butter and whisk again until amalgamated.
When the butter is melted add in the lemon zest and juice and keep whisking over low heart until mixture thickens, which will take about ten minutes. Don’t let it boil or it will curdle! Mind you, if the heat is too low it shall take longer to thicken, but you will get a good arm workout.
Finally the mixture will have a rich, silky texture and shall coat the back of a spoon thickly. It will also thicken a little more as it cools.
Pour into sterilised jars or other lidded containers, and allow to cool on bench before putting on their lids. Store in refrigerator. Share. Or not! ♥ xx
These recipes give great opportunities for using your new batch of lemon butter:
Bread and Butter Pudding Recipe (Substitute the Lemon Butter for the Jam)
So happy to find this recipe that my Mom used to make. Do the jars need to be sealed as we do when making jam. I would like to give some as gifts at Christmas. Thanks tonnes for posting this.
First time I have made Lemon Curd and it was a great success. Everyone loves it. Thank you very much.
Just made a double batch and substituted some of the lemon juice and zest with lime to use up our homegrown fruit. So delicious – so creamy and tangy, I can see this being eaten in record time! Thanks for a great (and easy) recipe
Many thanks for sharing this recipe, which was a resounding success. Love lemons, love lemon curd and love you for giving it to everyone – no shop-bought could ever compete, and we should all spend more time together in the kitchen. Phil XX
My in-laws have a whole orchard of citrus trees, including a couple of lemon trees. My husband has been asking for some lemon butter (his mother normally makes it but she is away at the moment). I tried your recipe yesterday and he’s already asking for more! Thank you! So easy and yummy!
Great recipe – great instructions and a great result! YUM! Thank you 😃
Have made this about 4 times cos my mum lurves lemon butter,and she goes through a jar in about week..then whenever I visit she asks when am I making it again..thanks for sharing a great recipe 👍
Ripper recipes! 🙂
My granddaughter wants either lemon meringue or key lime pie for her birthday cake this year. As I haven’t made one for 20 years or so I googled a recipe. Yours is very similar to my mum’s but she doesn’t use the white of the eggs, just the yolks, so double the eggs and you get a very satiny, velvety yumminess which I’m not allowed to eat any more due to diabetes. She also always used salted butter because it makes it that much richer. Like it needs to be!
I have made your Fudge recipe and now the Lemon Curd recipe. Both are sensationally delicious and easy to pop together. The best thing about it all is I can share my spoils and spread my love. Thank you for sharing your words and recipes. Peace and Love.
Thanks, Ruby! I’m glad you’re spreading love and sharing tasty treats in the world. That makes me as happy as anything. 🙂 Much love to you xx
I made two batches for my family and friends. 6 jars. I could have probably eaten through a jar by myself, it is so delicious.
I saved one jar for Sunday pancakes.
I jumped in my car and delivered them as soon as they were cold!
Thanks for sharing you recipe! All the instructions gave me enough confidence to give it a shot – I now have 7 jars full in the cupboard with one more batch to make tonight. It’s absolutely delicious and decadence on a scone… Thanks again!
Absolutely easy to make, always plenty of lemons in my yard. All of my boys loved this curd, had to hide some jars for my sisters! Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe.
Cheers from an Australian Lemon Curd Lover 🙂
Thanks for that great recipe. Never made it before but now it will be written into my family favourites. X
So jealous of your lemon trees! Beautiful!
Love to know what the shelf life for the Lemon Curd is, I want to make a few jars for Christmas?
Hello,
How long does it keep for?.
I have just made this as a birthday gift for a ninety year old who use to make it for me, I am please to say it is delicious and will be sure to make it again.
Awesome recipe.
I love anything lemon. Here is another Lemon Curd Recipe you might like to try!
Thanks For sharing.
Jen
I have never made lemon butter before and this recipe was really straight forward and easy. I have read other recipes with more lemon juice – but this recipe has a wonderful balance of tart and sweet. Thank you. Highly recommend the recipe!!
I am gonna try this recipe in the future. Thank you so much.
Just made a double batch to your recipe. Best lemon butter I have ever made
I’ve just come across this recipe, thank you so much! Everyone’s a fan, my mum says its just like her grandmother used to make. Love the step by step photos too.
Thanks Kiri! It’s a terrific recipe, isn’t it. And it’s old, one of those passed-down ones… So glad you enjoyed it. 😀 xx
Just made this for my 83 year old great aunt, she is now in a nursing home & misses having her lemon butter.i have tasted it & it is yummy, great way to use our excess lemons off our tree.l
thanks for the great recipie, i am only 14 and love to cook, my mum said it was the vbest lemon butte4r she had ever had
I’m so pleased it worked well for you! I love to cook too, and many of the recipes on my blog are ones I have been making since I was young. Keep cooking and keep smiling. Much love, Nicole
xx
Thanks for the recipe.
Just made the lemon butter and it’s yummmm. Looking forward to sharing, but not too generously heheheheh.
My Dear Old Dad who is 90 said to me as we were picking his Lemons I want to make
Lemon Butter but can’t find a recipe. I said I will Google it, yeh right he said. So your recipe is on it’s way to him. Thank you I look forward to tasting his attempt.
I feel really honoured, Cheryl, that your dad is making my lemon butter! Thanks for sharing xx
I am using lemonades. I hope these can be used. Can lemon curd keep long? I was thinking of freezing much of the juice (I have heaps) Can I use frozen lemon juice to make the lemon curd?
Just wondering how long the lemon curd will last, my lemon tree is also overloaded with lemons and was thinking of making a few batches.
I have kept mine, lidded and unopened in the fridge for a month. In a cold climate it would probably be find in a cupboard or cellar. Mind you, it never lasts long here, and I am forever giving bottles away to people who express appreciation for its deliciousness 😀
The smell alone is worth cooking a batch up! 🙂
Let alone how good it tastes… 😉 xx
Mmm, I love lemon curd and miss it as you cannot find it in France. Will be sure to try it…Thanks !
Truly? I thought the French would have been all over lemon curd! Enjoy! xx
I bet its breathtaking to step outside and see that amazing tree!
It makes me very happy! And when it blossoms, oh the beauty of that sweet fragrance…
I can only imagine! You are blessed!
I haven’t had lemon curd in years and years, had forgotten about it till I saw this. Yum, saving this to make!
I hope you enjoy it, Joss! ♥
A big thanks for liking my Joy and Gratitude post. You are definitely one of the first people I thought of when writing it!-including your wisdom and inspiration, and of course the FOOD!!!
with love light and JOY
LOL – Food is one of my favourite blessings for this life, and I am always happy to share that love with others. {{{HUGS}}} Much love to you, Jane ♥ xx
sounds amazing! I LOVE Meyer lemons:) We have them grown here in LA as well.. I think I need to befriend someone with a tree:)
I think that’s a cunning plan! 😀 xx
What a beautiful tree, I’m very jealous!
Looks super duper delish!
My mouth is watering! Your lemon curd looks delicious and how wonderful having all those lemons. I’ve always thought making your own lemon curd was impossibly difficult but this looks achieveable. My mum made a lemon cake recently and sandwiched it together with wonderful lemon curd and it was all squidgy and lemony and tangy. Hurrah for lemon curd/butter!
Wow..,.you have given me a wonderful idea with a cake…thanks for that…am just about to make the lemon curd with a bucket full of lemons from a neighbours tree….can’t wait and to make the cake sandwiched together with lemon curd…Yum …I will be in lemon heaven…..
Meyer lemon curd made from your own Meyer lemons sounds so divine. Just the color of the fruit makes me smile and think of sunshine. Beautiful color on the curd too. It’s so versatile!
Wonderful post – Lemon curd is a favorite. I look forward to trying this recipe. Wish I had a lemon tree. … Thanks for sharing!
Could you grow one where you are? I think there’s nothing better than a home with it’s own lemon supply! Much love to you xx
Last night a friend dropped off a big bag of lemons and suggested I juice them and make them into ice-cubes….but Lemon Butter sounds perfect and brings back fond memories of my Mum making it to dollop into little pastry cases (home made) with cream…yummy! In return I gave her a jar of my activated walnuts and a jar of my salad seeds. Let the recipes roll on in between your wisdom and guidance I say….Perfecto! Have a lovely day whatever you may do…XO
Perfect timing! I love that swapping of food, recipes and friendship. Some people I know call that old-fashioned, I call it sharing, love and community…
Just like Mum used to make, thanks for great memories xxoo
You’re welcome, Suzie. Much love to you! xoxo
What a gorgeous, stately lemon tree! It makes me happy to just look at it. 🙂
Me too Emmy – it’s like having this awesome friend at the back door! 😀
Thank you for posting this! You are so blessed to have that beautiful Meyer lemon tree in your yard. I LOVE lemon curd…I can’t wait to make this easy recipe!
Thanks Kim! Hope you enjoy the recipe. It’s like sunshine in a jar! Bless xx
great thanks maggie