Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (2024)

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Lemon curd is a custard-like mixture made from fresh lemon juice, sugar, butter, and egg yolks and used as a filling or spread. With this sous vide lemon curd recipe there is no stirring, straining or arm cramps.

Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (1)

This lemon curd recipe is cooked in mason jars. Seriously the silkiest lemon curd I have ever made. There was no need to pass this through a fine-mesh strainer to get our any coagulated egg bits.

If you love lemon curd you are going to want to add this Lemon tart and this rhubarb curd to your recipe box! Be sure to check out my complete collection of sous vide recipes.

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  • Want To Save This Recipe?
  • Sous Vide Lemon Curd
  • Why is the sous vide method better than the traditional cooking method?
  • Lemon Curd Ingredients:
  • What is lemon curd used for?
  • What is the difference between lemon curd and lemon pie filling?
  • What can I do about the foam that forms on the curd when it is in the food processor?
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock
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Sous Vide Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is a custard-like mixture made from fresh lemon juice, sugar, butter, and egg yolks and used as a filling or spread. There is a lot of specific temperatures that need to be met and a lot of arm work can go into whisking lemon curd. With this sous vide lemon curd recipe there is no stirring, straining or arm cramps. If you don't have a sous vide circulator, you can check out my recipe for a traditional lemon curd recipe.

Why is the sous vide method better than the traditional cooking method?

The sous vide cooking method will keep the ingredients at a constant temperature, cooking the curd smooth as silk. Plus there will not be overcooking of the egg yolks because the water is kept at a constant temperature.

This recipe is outstanding….a great lemon flavor & smooth texture..
This was my first attempt at making lemon curd and it went well.

★★★★★ ~ Ann

Lemon Curd Ingredients:

  • Egg Yolks
  • Lemons (zested & juiced)
  • Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed
  • Sugar
  • Butter, melted and cooled
Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (2)

What is lemon curd used for?

Lemon curd is known as being served at tea time with scones, in tarts, or in the filling of layer cakes. But don't forget to use lemon curd as a filling for crepes, on top of pancakes or waffles or even used to fill cookies.

Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (3)

What is the difference between lemon curd and lemon pie filling?

Lemon pie filling is usually thickened with flour or cornstarch whilelemon curdis thickened by tempering egg yolks, lemon juice, andzest. Lemon curdis similar topie fillingbut the texture is smoother, thicker and the lemon flavor is more intense.

Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (4)

More sous vide dessert recipes:

  • Sous vide oreo cheesecake
  • Sous vide peanut butter cheesecakein jars
  • Turtle cheesecake
  • Grasshopper cheesecake
  • Homemade clotted cream
Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (5)

What can I do about the foam that forms on the curd when it is in the food processor?

If there is still a bit of foam or bubbles on the top of the lemon curd, and it bothers you, firmly rap the jars on the counter to pop the bubbles. Or you can use a kitchen torch to quickly remove them. Neither of these options is necessary, it is more about getting a smooth texture from top to bottom.

Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (6)
Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (7)
Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (8)
Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (9)

Sous Vide Lemon Curd Printable Recipe:

📖 Recipe

Sous Vide Lemon Curd

Sarah Mock

With the help of sous vide, you can make smooth as silk lemon curd. My sous vide lemon curd recipe is cooked in mason jars.

4.49 from 122 votes

Print Recipe

Note From Sarah

There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

Prep time for the recipePrep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 1 hour hr

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Sous Vide

Cuisine French

Makes 3 servings

Per Serving 1064 kcal

Ingredients

  • 10 Egg Yolks
  • 6 Lemons (zested & juiced)
  • 1 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 ½ Cups Sugar
  • 1 ½ sticks Butter (melted and cooled)

Instructions

  • Separate the yolks from the whites and save the whites for another recipe.

    10 Egg Yolks

  • Zest 6 lemons and measure out¼ cup of zest.

    6 Lemons

  • In a food processor, blend the sugar and the lemon zest until the sugar is a fine powder and the zest has infused the sugar.

    1 ½ Cups Sugar

  • With the food processor running, pour in the 1 cup of fresh lemon juice

    1 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

  • Add the egg yolks, one at a time, allowing each one to incorporate fully.

  • While the food processor is still running, pour the melted and cooled butter into the yolk/lemon juice mixture.

    1 ½ sticks Butter

  • Strain the mixture through a super fine mesh strainer to help remove any foam.

  • Fill half pint jelly jars with the lemon curd mixture.

  • Place a lid and ring on top of the jars and make the ring finger tight.

  • Heat the sous vide to167 °F / 75 °C.

  • Once heated, carefully lower the jars into the water with a jar lifter. Make sure there is water completely surrounding the jars.

  • Cook for 1 hour.

  • Carefully remove from the water and allow to rest to cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 1064kcal | Carbohydrates: 128g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 769mg | Sodium: 398mg | Potassium: 463mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 108g | Vitamin A: 2330IU | Vitamin C: 146mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

published Jan 18, 2018

Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (11)

👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

    More Ultimate Collection of Sous Vide Recipes

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    • Best Sous Vide Beef Recipes
    • Best Sous Vide Brisket Recipe (24 Hour Brisket)

    About Sarah Mock

    Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply

    1. Ann

      Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (16)
      This recipe is outstanding….a great lemon flavor & smooth texture..
      This was my first attempt at making lemon curd and it went well.
      One question….a firm waxy crust about 1/4” formed on the top when it cooled.
      Could this have been due to the quality of the butter. it was easily removed and didn’t change the wonderful taste of the curd.

      Reply

      • Sarah Mock

        I am so glad you loved this recipe as much as I do! I am not sure about the crust...it might have to do with the amount of headspace there is in the jar. I try and keep as little headspace as possible in these. I hope that is helpful.

        Reply

    2. Mm

      Can you cook it longer to pasteurize? That’s a lot of curd to eat in 2 weeks!

      Reply

    3. Hank

      Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (17)
      Great recipe, all Sarah’s recipes are sensational.

      Reply

      • Sarah Mock

        Aw! Thanks Hank. I appreciate the feedback. Sarah

        Reply

    4. Aenea

      I've made this sous vide lemon curd recipe and it worked great! You mentioned a rhubarb curd and I was wondering if you were willing to share the recipe.

      Reply

    Sous Vide Lemon Curd Recipe | Savoring The Good® (2024)

    FAQs

    What should not be sous vide? ›

    Produce that no longer looks completely fresh or already smells strange is, of course, no longer suitable for the sous vide procedure. This particularly applies to fish and meat that is cooked at relatively low temperatures.

    Can you overcook lemon curd? ›

    Your lemon curd could get chunky and grainy if you let it overcook. One thing you should remember while making lemon curd is that you should never let it reach a point where it starts boiling. The ideal temperature for lemon curd is 170 degrees Fahrenheit, and it shouldn't cross that.

    Why didn't my lemon curd get thick? ›

    If your lemon curd hasn't thickened, it may not have been heated enough. It can take up to 30 minutes of constant stirring to cook lemon curd, especially if it's a large batch. Remember that curd will thicken more once cooled. If your cooled curd is not thick enough, you can reheat it to thicken.

    How long before lemon curd goes bad? ›

    Just be sure to put it in a tightly sealed glass or plastic container so it doesn't pick up any aromas from other things in your fridge. Fresh lemon curd will keep for one to two weeks when stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

    What is the danger zone for sous vide? ›

    Because of the relatively low temperatures used in sous vide, one major consideration is the Danger Zone. The 'Danger Zone' is a range of temperatures where bacteria particularly thrive and multiply. It's generally defined as 40F to 140 F, or 4.4C to 60C .

    Why does my lemon curd taste weird? ›

    A metallic aftertaste is usually the consequence of the lemon curd coming into contact with a metal (especially while it's hot). This could be a metal whisk, a metal bowl, a metal (or metal-coated) saucepan, or a metal sieve.

    How to tell when lemon curd is done? ›

    Lemon Curd should thick enough to coat the back of a spoon when it's hot and should thicken up to pudding-like consistency when it's chilled. The curd can take up to 10 minutes to thicken to the consistency of pourable pudding, so be patient (remember it will thicken more once it cools).

    Why did my lemon curd turn green? ›

    If your lemon curd turned green, it likely had a reaction to something metal. Avoid using a copper or aluminum pan as those will react with the lemon juice and cause the discoloration in the lemon curd, and could even cause a slightly metallic aftertaste.

    Should you freeze lemon curd? ›

    Shelf Life: Prepared lemon curd can be frozen for up to 1 year without quality changes when thawed. To thaw, place container in a refrigerator at 40°F or lower for 24 hours before intended use.

    Is Dickinson's lemon curd discontinued? ›

    About Us. Dickinson's Family fruit spreads brand has been discontinued and is no longer being sold.

    What are the bacteria of concern for sous vide? ›

    Oxidative rancidity and aerobic spoilage are reduced in sous-vide, and there is a reduced risk from aerobic pathogens, such as L. monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium, which can extend storage life; however, C. botulinum is a potential hazard.

    Is the plastic in sous vide bad for you? ›

    The EEP recommends the use of appropriate plastic bags for sous vide that follow current FDA guidelines and are free of BPA and phthalates. Bags and pouches used in sous vide should be made of food- grade plastics such as high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and polypropylene.

    What hazards can you get from sous vide? ›

    These risks include the potential for survival and growth of bacteria that can grow under the anaerobic (absence of oxygen) conditions created by the vacuum packaging, e.g. Clostridium botulinum. Remember, some foods may not be suitable for sous vide cooking.

    Can meat go bad in a sous vide? ›

    You can refrigerate cooked, properly cooled foods in their unopened sous vide bags up to 10 days. If you've opened the bags, your leftovers will have the same shelf life as conventionally cooked leftovers.

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