Summer weather means lemons! Lots and lots of lemons! I am thinking homemade lemonade right now...
However, I am not presenting you with lemonade today. That would be too easy. Well, lemonade is easy but a pain when it comes to juicing lemons. I decided to try something different and created brown butter lemon curd! Plain ole lemon curd is delicious, but this brown butter lemon curd? It takes it up a notch!
Brown butter is super easy to make. It adds a ton of flavor to any recipe and can turn a recipe from good to outstanding! One of my favorite methods of using brown butter is in my brown butter buttercream (take a peak, you will not regret it!) Now, like caramel sauce, there is always that point of no return. You know what I mean. When you cook the butter, you want it brown, but if you go too far, it will burn. I suggest getting it to a nice brown and removing it from the heat and allowing it to finish cooking (because we all know just because you remove something from the stove, doesn't mean it stops cooking!) Don't worry if you burn it, just dump it and start over. I have burnt my share of homemade caramel sauces!
Brown butter lemon curd is so worth it and takes little time. It sounds intimidating but it is not. Whisk, whisk, whisk and keep an eye on consistency and you will be alllll good. And then try resisting eating the curd with a spoon... There is always the pan to lick clean!
📖 Recipe
Brown Butter Lemon Curd
Browning the butter first makes this brown butter lemon curd super flavorful and perfect for summer!
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp. lemon zest (about two lemons)
- Salt
- Vanilla (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook butter until it is nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt. At one egg yolk at a time, whisking constantly, until all combined. Add vanilla if desired.
- Return pan to medium-low heat and whisk constantly for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve. Allow to cool to room temperature, stirring every so often to prevent a film. Store, covered.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 178mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 4g
Next time, I want to try making this brown butter lemon curd with brown sugar. Not traditional, but it would definitely add a deeper flavor. I am drooling right now as I type this wishing I had more curd on hand. Sigh, if only my lemon curd angel food cake had not failed.
heather @french press
I never would have thought to try brown butter in curd - but I bet it is delicious
Kacey
It really enhances the flavour (of the already amazing flavour behind lemon curd!)
Becky | The Cookie Rookie
I LOVE lemon curd! Delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
Julie @ Texan New Yorker
You officially have my undying awe and admiration, this from a person who has failed at making her own lemon curd *several* times. It is NOT as easy as it looks!! I love the brown butter addition too.
Kacey
Julie, we all have those recipes! I am sooooo bad for either under-whipping or over-whipping homemade whipped cream!
Annie @Maebells
I love this step by step tutorial! This looks like a great summertime treat!
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
I love lemon curd, and make it all summer long - I love the idea of adding brown butter for a different taste. How creative!
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat.
Brown butter makes everything better - this is a fantastic idea and I cannot wait to try it!
Kacey
I am starting to see just how awesome brown butter is!
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour)
Oh my goodness, this is amazing. I'm a BIG lemon curd fan and this variation is like nothing I've ever seen! MUST try it!
Kacey
Thanks, Kim! Lemon curd is the best!
Ashlyn @ Belle of the Kitchen
Brown butter has such good flavor; I'm so digging this one, Kacey! And your Brown Butter Buttercream?! That sounds downright heavenly!
Kacey
Brown butter truly makes a difference in flavour (and is so easy as long as you do not burn it!) Thanks, Ashlyn!
Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector)
I love making homemade lemon curd, and I must try this version!
Heather @ Sugar Dish Me
Oh my good grief! Brown Butter! This is so smart and I bet it's amazing! This lemon curd would for sure turn out the best tarts ever!
Kacey
I cannot wait to make tarts with this lemon curd!! Thanks, Heather.
Connie | URBAN BAKES
I love brown butter ANYTHING and the fact you added it for your lemon curd, genius! Have got to try this soon.
Kacey
Thanks, Connie!