Here's How To Make An Easy Lemon Curd In The Microwave

Creamy, tart, and mouth-wateringly delicious, lemon curd is one of those little delicacies you might not have thought of making yourself. But with the help of a microwave, it's surprisingly fast and easy. Plus, the ingredients — just lemons, sugar, eggs, and butter — are affordable and available all year long.

While the old-fashioned technique involves standing over a stovetop and constantly stirring, the microwave method only needs to be stirred every 30 seconds, and there's no danger of scalding. Just make sure you use a large bowl to keep it from bubbling over while it cooks. You won't want to waste a single drop!

Some recipes blend all of the ingredients at once, but using perfectly tempered eggs will keep them from scrambling in the hot liquid. One trick is to heat the melted butter, sugar, and lemon juice in a separate bowl, then stir the hot liquid into the eggs a little bit at a time so they can absorb the heat more slowly. Another technique is to whisk the sugar into the eggs before adding the lemon juice to protect them from being cooked by the acid. The rest is smooth sailing. Just microwave for 30 seconds at a time, whisking after each interval until it coats the back of a spoon. Strain out any zest or cooked egg and press plastic wrap tight against the surface as you would to prevent a film from forming on mousse or pudding.

Your homemade curd can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to a month to enjoy later. However, this luscious lemony treat tends to disappear much more quickly than that! You'll be surprised how many dishes benefit from its bright, sunny flavor.

It's a gorgeous, tangy topping for cheesecake, pairing well with the slight tartness of the cream cheese. Lemon curd is also delicious between layers in a cake — especially spice or lemon cakes — but it's best to use a light hand since too much could make the layers slide apart. (You can always serve it with another dollop on the side). The creamy consistency also pairs well with other textures like crispy gingersnaps, crumbly shortbread, or chewy candied ginger.

Desserts aren't the only realm where lemon curd can shine. Imagine it stirred into a cup of hot tea, a whiskey sour cocktail, or a vodka martini. Some people even use it as a glaze for roast chicken or beef, since the puckery acidity can add flavor and tenderize the meat. In fact, there are so many creative uses for lemon curd that we predict it won't be long until you've used the last spoonful and need to whip up another batch.