This is my easy recipe for Small Batch Lemon Curd which is so versatile and quick to make with few ingredients. It's super silky and simple to make in one pot with fresh lemon juice and zest. This recipe is a scaled down version of the Zesty Lemon Curd in my debut cookbook "Scientifically Sweet: A Scientific & Delicious Approach to Artisanal Baking". If you want a full batch recipe, check out my Easy One Pot Lemon Curd. If you like baking on a small scale, check out my other Small Batch recipes.

INGREDIENTS FOR SMALL BATCH LEMON CURD

• Butter - the key to a delicious silky lemon curd is a bit of butter at the end to make it smooth and glossy. It also helps it set up with a nice thick texture.
• Lemon Juice - I only ever make lemon curd with freshly squeezed lemon juice (not bottled). It provides the tangy flavor and the acidity also helps to set the egg proteins.
• Lemon zest - most of the lemon flavor really comes from the yellow zest on the outside of the lemon. That is where the flavorful oils live.
• Salt - salt is important in any recipe, and it helps balance the sweetness as well as enhance the lemon taste.
• Egg - Egg provide majority of the structure for the curd and is absolutely important. Egg proteins set into a protein network to create a soft gel-like texture.
• Sugar - a bit of sugar sweetens the curd to balance the acidity and also plays a major role in creating a silky texture that prevents the egg proteins from coagulating too firmly.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This recipe is the easiest you will come by because you literally place everything in a bowl and stir over simmering water until it is thick!

• STEP 1). Coat sugar with lemon oils. Place sugar in a saucepan with lemon zest and rub it together with your fingers or the back of a spoon until fragrant and the sugar takes on a hint of yellow.
• STEP 2). Add egg. Whisk in egg until smooth.
• STEP 3). Add lemon juice. Whisk in lemon juice until mixture is smooth.
• STEP 4). Add butter and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• STEP 5). Sieve. To get an extra smooth curd, pass it through a sieve into a clean bowl. Note that this will remove the lemon zest, so if you want to keep it, you may opt not to sieve. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface and refrigerate until set.

EXPERT TIPS FOR SMALL BATCH LEMON CURD

• Rub the sugar together with the lemon zest. Why? The yellow part of lemon skin contains essential oils (the same ones used to make citrus fragrances in perfumes and lemon-scented soaps) and when you rub sugar against them, it releases these oils. The oils coat the flat surfaces of the sugar crystals and make the curd taste extra lemony - a technique that's know as "plating" in the food industry. Sugar also acts as an abrasive to help break down the zest so that there aren't large stringy pieces of it that would distract from the silky smooth texture of this curd.
• Cook over gentle heat. Overcooking will cause proteins to bond too tightly, squeezing water out from between them and giving them a rubbery, lumpy texture. For insurance, indirect heat via steam is used to moderate the cooking temperature since boiling water cannot exceed 100°C. This recipe uses whole eggs to add firmness for a thick, spoonable texture, while the extra yolk adds creaminess and tenderness.
• Strain the curd. Pass the hot curd through a sieve for the smoothest texture.
• Place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface before chilling to prevent a skin from forming.

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If you love small batch baking, check out these recipes!

The BEST Small Batch Chocolate Fudge Brownies Small Batch Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Small Batch Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Easy Small Batch Lemon Curd The BEST Flourless Small Batch Brownie Cookies (Gluten-Free) Small Batch Tahini Swirl Chocolate Fudge Sheet Cake Marble Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Small Batch Double Chocolate Banana Muffins