Lime Curd
This lime curd is a delicious filling for any dessert! I've used it in cakes, cupcakes, and macarons, and it tastes amazing in all of them. It's easy to make, filled with bright citrus flavor, and a perfect way to use up leftover egg yolks.
Servings: 1 cup
Calories: 83kcal
Ingredients
Lime Curd Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks 80g or 2 large whole eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar 133g
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice or bottled key lime juice 80g
- 1 Tbsp lime zest - zest of about 2 key limes or 1 large lime 6g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 70g
Recommend Equipment
- Saucepan
- Medium-Sized Metal Bowl
- Whisk
- Kitchen Towel or Oven Mitt
Instructions
Lime Curd
- Fill a saucepan with 2 inches of water and heat over medium-low heat.
- Combine 4 large egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup lime juice, 1 Tbsp lime zest, and 1/4 tsp fine salt in a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl. I like to use a metal bowl. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Once the water begins to simmer, place the heat-proof bowl on top of the saucepan to make a double boiler. Leave the heat on medium-low heat and make sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl. Hold the bowl in place with an oven mitt or small kitchen towel and continuously whisk the mixture until it thickens. This usually takes me about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the pan and turn off the stove. Add 5 tbsp of butter and stir until incorporated. The mixture should be thick and smooth at this point.
- This lime curd is naturally yellow in color because of the egg yolks. If you want this lime curd to be green, stir in a small drop of green gel food coloring at this stage.
- Scoop the lime curd into an airtight container like an old jam jar or mason jar. Let the lime curd cool to room temperature before covering it with a lid, then seal the jar and place it in the fridge.
- This lime curd can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Lime Curd Yield:
This recipe makes a little over 1 cup of lime curd. This is enough to fill a dozen cupcakes (using a rounded Tablespoon per cupcake), 48 macarons (1 tsp per macaron), or an 8-inch layer cake with 3 layers (1/2 cup between each layer). This recipe can easily be halved or doubled as needed, just be sure to adjust the cook time as needed.Lime Curd Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Egg Yolks - I always have leftover egg yolks from baking, so I like to use egg yolks in this recipe! If you don't have any on hand, you can use 2 whole eggs. The mixture will turn out slightly thicker, but it will still taste great.
- Granulated Sugar - This recipe turns out best with granulated sugar. You can use less processed sugar if you want, but the consistency might not be as smooth.
- Lime Juice - Good lime juice is a must in this recipe. Make sure you use freshly squeezed lime juice or really good, bottled lime juice like, this key lime juice.
- Lime Zest - Fresh lime zest totally makes this lime curd. I usually use the zest from 1 large limes or 2-3 small limes.
- Unsalted Butter - Unsalted butter adds richness and helps balance the tartness of the lime. If you don't have unsalted butter, use salted butter, and omit the salt in this recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 64mg | Sugar: 9g