Nitrate & Nitrite Free Lime Curd

Total time1 hr 25 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time15 min

4.5

(16)

Bright, tangy, and impossibly silky, this lime curd is the kind of thing you'll want to spoon straight from the jar. It gets its bold citrus punch from both fresh lime zest and juice, so every bite is vibrant and deeply flavored. The double hit of whole eggs and egg yolks gives it that luscious, custard-like body that sets up beautifully in the fridge. Every ingredient here is clean and straightforward — fresh fruit, sugar, eggs, butter, and salt — so there's nothing hidden to worry about, which makes it a genuinely stress-free treat. The double-boiler method keeps the heat gentle and controlled, and whisking the butter in gradually at the end is what gives the curd that glossy, restaurant-quality finish. Straining it through a fine-mesh sieve removes any stray zest or cooked egg bits, leaving you with a perfectly smooth, jewel-toned spread. Use it to fill tarts, layer into cakes, swirl into yogurt, or just pile it onto toast — it's endlessly versatile and completely homemade from start to finish.

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 tbsp lime zest (from about 3 limes)
½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 4–5 limes)
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
¼ tsp fine salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

Instructions

1
Whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, and salt in a heatproof bowl until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
2
Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through leaves a clean line, and the mixture reaches 170°F (77°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 10–12 minutes. Reaching 170°F (77°C) ensures the eggs are fully cooked and the curd is food-safe.

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