Easy Key Lime Curd Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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.

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 of lime juice, 1 Tbsp lime zest, and a 1/4 tsp of fine salt in a medium-sized, heat proof bowl. I like to use a metal bowl.

Curdling in lemon curd can occur if the mixture is heated too quickly or if the eggs are cooked at a very high temperature.

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.

Simply add a small amount of yogurt, like a spoonful, at a time. Stir your yogurt into the curry and keep adding a little more at a time until it reaches your desired thickness. This is great for Indian-style curries as a cream substitute.

Lemon curd will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, so it is great to make it in advance when you need it to fill cakes and pastries.

It is made from lemon or lime juice, egg white, egg yolk, butter, and sugar. It is similar to lemon custard, but traditionalists feel that curd has more lemon flavor than lemon custard. Made fresh it has a refrigerator shelf life of approx. 1 week.

If you don't want to use lemon curd then we would suggest using an alternative flavour of fruit curd. We have seen passionfruit, rhubarb and tart orange (or Seville orange) curds being sold online in the UK. All of these flavours would go well with summer berries.

Don't be tempted to use bottled lemon juice of any kind as it'll be far too acidic and will ruin the flavor. You'll know the curd is ready when it noticeably thickens in consistency and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Keep the heat low, don't turn it up to quicken the process or the eggs will scramble.

Why does my lemon curd taste like metal? ›

Why does my lemon curd taste metallic? 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.

Although lemon curd uses egg yolks and/or egg whites, the final product shouldn't taste eggy. If it does, it may mean that you've overcooked your eggs. In saying that, traditional lemon curd does have a distinct after taste which doesn't sit well with some.

Not heating the milk enough results in lacey/gooey/stringy Dahi. Using Low fat milk or skim milk may result in Dahi that's not firm enough. Use starter from a good quality Greek Yogurt that contains good bacteria strains. Be wary on ingredients like thickeners or any other additives.

The temperature is too low. If the temp is below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the cultures will not ferment properly and the milk will stay runny. The temperature is too high. If the temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the yogurt will ferment too fast and will also render the yogurt runny.

You need to keep a low heat and stir constatntly. The time it takes for the curd to thicken can vary accoding to the size of the pan and the heat used. To test if the curd is cooked properly, dip a spoon into the mixture then run your finger through the mixture on the back of the spoon.

My lemon curd is too sour.

If you measured correctly according to the instructions and still feel it is too sour, you can add about ¼ cup more sugar next time you make it.