You’re going to love this lime curd. Tangy and rich, silky-smooth and creamy lime curd tastes just like a buttery lime. It’s so lovely in cakes (I use it a lot to fill cupcakes), over yogurt, or served with a pancake breakfast for just a few ideas.
This lime meringue pie has a filling of a similar curd too. Actually, I think my favourite fruit curd is still this passionfruit curd, but I have so many to choose from at this point.
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Just 15 minutes and 4 ingredients!
- One pot – no double boiler needed and easy clean up.
- Free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives – all natural baby!
- This tastes worlds above any store-bought lime curd.
- Use it in cakes, cookies, pies or just spread it on toast.
- Quick tips and troubleshooting guide.
This recipe was first published here on the 12th of January, 2021 and has been updated with clearer instructions.
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Ingredients
Lime curd (and any fruit curd) is almost a smooth, creamy jam or preserve. It’s rich, sweet and spreadable and lovely on everything from pavlova to pancakes, or just eating straight off a spoon.
For this one you’ll just need 4 ingredients – eggs, sugar, limes and butter. That’s all.
It may surprise you but lime curd is not green. It’s yellow and gets that colour from the egg yolks and butter. So, when it turns out yellow, don’t be worried.
Variations
- Mango-lime curd: Add the pureed pulp of 1 large and very ripe mango to the brew for a tropical twist.
- Mojito: Add 1-2 tablespoons of very finely chopped fresh mint as soon as you take it off the stove and stir it through.
How to make it
The wonderful thing about this one pan lime curd recipe is how easy it is to make at home. It’s adapted from my lemon curd, and the technique is exactly the same – no double boiler required.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
Whisk together sugar, lime juice, lime zest and eggs in a saucepan until completely combined.
Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Add butter a few pieces at a time stirring to melt each before adding the next.
Once all the butter is added, just keep cooking and stirring until it’s thick and coating the back of a spoon.
Strain it to remove the zest and pour into preserving jars to store.
Tips and tricks
- Use a non-reactive saucepan: This includes stainless steel, ceramic coated or enamel coated. This will ensure you don’t have a metallic taste to your curd that can occur when using reactive pans.
- Don’t overheat, never boil – you don’t want to cook this too quickly or you risk scrambling the eggs. Don’t worry, even on low heat the lime curd will only take about 10 minutes to be ready.
- Don’t stop stirring – you don’t need to stir vigorously but just keep the curd moving so that it doesn’t turn lumpy or scramble.
- Strain the lime curd – Straining the curd ensures you have a silky smooth lime curd. It will not only remove the zest (which has already done it’s job) but you may also have tiny bits of egg that need to be removed.
How to use lime curd
This zesty curd has so many uses and lime curd pairs beautifully with berries so keep that in mind whatever you choose.
- Try on pancakes, toast or scones
- It’s great served on top of pavlova
- Spread it in or on cakes
- It’s great hidden inside cupcakes
- Use it to fill cookies
- Stir it through a no-churn ice cream.
- mix it through yoghurt for breakfast with a side of granola.
Troubleshooting
If you’ve followed the quantities in this recipe properly then a runny curd is likely caused by just not cooking it for long enough. No problem, place it back on the stove and cook a bit longer, until it coats the back of a spoon and you can run a finger through it without the line running.
Remember curd is not like a set custard – it should have a spreadable texture but be much looser than peanut butter for instance. If you still think it’s not thick enough, refer to the note above.
There are two potential causes for this. The first is the eggs are scrambled (you’ll be able to see bits of egg if this is the case and it means you’ve cooked it on too high a temperature or for too long). If this is the case, it can’t be fixed.
The second cause could be that the emulsification has broken down (which can be caused by not agitating/mixing the curd enough as it cooks or it’s been overheated). Fix grainy curd by adding 1 egg yolk and another tablespoon of the lime juice to a pan and whisk together over the lowest heat possible. Mix the curd back in, 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s all added in. Heat it to 75C / 170F on a thermometer or until it coats the back of a spoon without running.
Storage
Store this curd in preserving jars (I love these small Weck preserving jars) and keep unopened for up to 3 months. Once opened, you should try to use it within 7-10 days.
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Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 200 g caster (superfine) sugar (1 cup / 7oz)
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 150 g unsalted butter, cubed and cold (1 stick + 2 ½ tablespoons)
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- preserving jars like these small Weck jars
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, juice and zest.
- Heat, stirring constantly over low-medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the cold butter a couple of pieces at a time, stirring until each addition is melted and incorporated.
- Continue cooking the mixture for 4-5 minutes or until it is thickened and coats the back of a spoon or leaves a thick coating on the side of the pan when you tilt it.
- Pour into sterilised conserve jars and store in the fridge.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful. Or post a picture on Instagram and tag @sugarsaltmagic.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of curd.
- Cool for half an hour at room temperature, then seal and place in the fridge
This curd will keep for up to 3 weeks in the fridge, unopened. Once opened use within a week. It will also freeze well. - To sterilise the jars, boil them in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes then set aside to drain, dry and cool. The second way is to wash the jars well with soapy water, rinse and then place them in an oven at 120C / 250F for 10 minutes. Let them cool.
- You can swap the butter for a vegetable based spread if you would like to make this curd dairy free.
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4 Comments on “Lime Curd”
Made this lime curd and is delicious. Will be making a lime curd puff pastry this afternoon. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I’m so happy you love it, Helen. Thanks so much for dropping back to leave a review.
Easy, simple recipe which came out great.
So happy you loved it, Nadine. Thanks so much for trying my recipe.