
Bright, silky, and intensely lemony, this homemade curd is the kind of thing that makes you wonder why you ever reached for a jar at the store. The problem with most commercial versions is that they rely on synthetic preservatives — BHA and BHT chief among them — to extend shelf life, which makes label-reading a frustrating chore. This recipe sidesteps all of that with just six clean, recognizable ingredients: eggs, sugar, fresh lemon juice, zest, butter, and salt. Nothing hidden, nothing processed. The double-boiler method is the real secret here — gentle, indirect heat keeps the eggs from scrambling while you whisk the mixture into a glossy, spoonable curd. Whisking in cold butter cubes at the end gives it that luxurious, velvety texture that coats a spoon beautifully. Straining it through a fine-mesh sieve at the finish ensures every spoonful is perfectly smooth. Spread it on toast, swirl it into yogurt, or use it as a tart filling — however you serve it, you'll know exactly what went into every bite.
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Fill a small saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Set a heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt together in the heatproof bowl until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
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