You can cook all the ingredients together, or add the butter off the heat once the lemon curd is ready.

Place the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and eggs in a saucepan. Mix well before adding the butter (unless you choose to add it after cooking).

Cook over low heat or in a bain-marie, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.

Keep stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent the lemon curd from sticking and to ensure even cooking.

The cream will thicken like a custard. This may take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the heat. It will thicken a little more as it cools.

Once the lemon curd is smooth and creamy, strain it through a fine sieve to remove any residual zest or cooked egg bits.

Pour into clean jars and let cool before sealing.

Keep refrigerated, if there’s any left, as it usually disappears quickly!