Vegan Lemon Curd should be in every vegan cook's repertoire. It's delicious in tarts, meringue pies, or as a topping for scones.
Thick, zesty lemon curd is one of my favourite spreads. Jam is good but lemon curd is even better. It's both sweet and sour, creamy and oh so lemony!
Traditionally lemon curd is made from egg yolks, lemons, sugar and butter but with my simple recipe you can make lemon curd suitable for anyone who can't eat egg or dairy either due to intolerance or as a personal choice.
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Ingredients
You need just a handful of ingredients for this recipe:
- cornflour
- water
- lemons
- icing sugar
- plant milk
- vegan butter
Vegan lemon curd does without the egg by using cornflour. The rest of the ingredients are similar. In the recipe below you will see icing sugar (instead of caster sugar), lots of lemon juice, non-dairy butter and also a little plant milk.
Each of these ingredients performs a function:
- The cornflour thickens;
- The icing sugar adds sweetness;
- The lemon juice creates the bright, zesty, tartness to the curd; and
- The butter and milk make it creamy.
When cooked together over a low heat they create the best vegan lemon curd.
Instructions
There are just 6 steps in this recipe and it takes just 10 minutes to make.
- Step 1: Place the cornflour, icing sugar, water and lemon juice in a pan and whisk until smooth.
- Step 2: Place over a medium-low heat and cook the curd, stirring continuously until thick.
- Step 3: Turn the heat down to low and add the plant milk and vegan butter.
- Step 4: Whisk well until it has melted and is well incorporated. (Add back on to a low heat if it is not quite as thick as you'd like it and whisk for a few more minutes.)
- Step 5: Sterilise your jars.
- Step 6: Pour the hot lemon curd into a couple of sterilised jars. Seal them and place in the fridge to set before serving.
Hint: this vegan lemon curd is quite pale compared to the regular type. It mainly gets its colour from the butter but you can always add a little food colouring if you'd like it a brighter yellow colour.
Variations
You could use any citrus fruit in this recipe. Why not try making lime curd for key lime pie or even a grapefruit curd!
Equipment
You don't need any specialist equipment for this recipe, just a saucepan and a whisk!
Storage
Store the vegan lemon curd in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Always make sure you sterilise your jars before you pour in the curds, this means it will last much longer and doesn't risk contamination.
Top Tip
Keep whisking! You can't whisk this too much. Keep whisking to ensure it remains smooth and that there are no lumps.
FAQ
Sterilise your jars by washing them with hot, soapy water. Rinse (but don't dry) them before placing the jars into an oven for 10 minutes on a low temperature (160C/320F/gas mark 3) or until they are dry.
The recipe
Vegan Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 30 g cornflour
- 100 ml water
- 3 lemons juice only
- 125 g icing sugar
- 60 ml plant milk
- 60 g vegan butter
Instructions
- Place the cornflour, icing sugar, water and lemon juice in a pan and whisk until smooth.
- Place over a medium-low heat and cook the curd, stirring continuously until thick.
- Turn the heat down to low and add the plant milk and vegan butter.
- Whisk well until it has melted and is well incorporated.
- Add back on to a low heat if it is not quite as thick as you'd like it and whisk for a few more minutes.
- Pour the hot lemon curd into a couple of sterilised jars.
- Seal them and place in the fridge to set before serving.
Nutrition
How to use vegan lemon curd
This lemon curd can be spread on anything from toast to scones. Here are some of my suggestions for ways to use it (please note some of these are vegetarian recipes):
- In blueberry and lemon muffins
- On a pavlova
- To fill a blueberry and lemon layer cake
- Swirled into vegan ice cream
- To add some extra zest to a lemon and amaretti cheesecake
- To fill Easter macarons
- Drizzled over crepes or pancakes
- In lemon meringue pies or lemon meringue cupcakes
What's your favourite way to eat lemon curd?
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