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    Home » 5 or less ingredients

    Published: Sep 13, 2022 · Modified: Jan 16, 2023 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Easy Calamansi Lime Curd Recipe

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Homemade Easy Calamansi Lime Curd Recipe is thick, tangy, sweet and overflowing with fresh lime flavor. You only need 4 ingredients and under 30 minutes. (Substitutes suggested if you can't get Calamansi.) It's so creamy, zesty and rich, you'll be happy to eat it on its own!

    Someone holding a jar of lime curd with a lime curd tart in the background.
    Jump to:
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Variations & Substitutions
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • How to Use
    • How to Store
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Other Tea Time Recipes
    • Homemade Lime Curd Recipe

    Why Make This

    1. This Homemade Calamansi Lime Curd is creamy, tangy and delicious: the bright but rich lime flavor makes it taste like summer in a jar!
    2. Super easy to make: You only need 4 simple ingredients that can be found in most grocery stores and are done in less than 30 minutes! (No double boiler needed.)
    3. Very versatile: This delicious lime curd can be used in cakes, yogurt, tarts, on toast, or eaten right out of a jar! It tastes like summer in a bottle!

    Note: for a savory way to preserve eggs, try this Asian salted eggs recipe.

    Ingredients

    The 4 ingredients needed to make lime curd on a cream background.
    • Freshly squeezed calamansi lime juice, zested and juiced: you can use any type of fresh limes, but I make calamansi lime curd because of the floral flavor. (If you love it as much as I do, here are some Calamansi Sweet Treat Recipes!) Persian limes or Key limes are also good, with the latter having a stronger taste that is better suited to baking. Always use fresh lime juice and not bottled! Add the lime zest to your curd too, but make sure you only take off the green skin and not the white pith (which is bitter. A microplaner would help you with this but I just use a regular grater.)
    • Large eggs, whisked well: I use whole eggs to make this easy lime curd. Your citrus curd will be a lighter yellow and will also taste a lot more tangy as it won't have as much richness to balance the acid. (Just add a bit more sugar if you want to counter the extra sourness.) For a richer, less eggy flavor, use only the egg yolks.
    • Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes: A small pinch of salt can be a flavor enhancer, but different brands of butter have different amounts of salt. Hence, I don't recommend using Salted Butter as you may end up with an overly salted Curd! If you are allergic to dairy, omit the butter. The curd won't be as luscious and creamy unfortunately but will still taste good.
    • Sugar: White caster sugar is better as it dissolves in the lime juice more quickly. However, you can also use granulated sugar or even brown sugar. (Personally I prefer to keep the Lime Flavor fresh and bright so don't recommend using brown sugar or maple syrup which will add caramel notes.)

    Variations & Substitutions

    • Lemon curd: instead of calamansi lime juice, you can replace with lemon juice in a 1:1 ratio to make lemon curd.
    • Spiced curd: you can add spices such as ginger, mint or vanilla to your lime juice mixture!

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Water boiling in a large Le Creuset Dutch Oven,

    1. Gently zest your calamansi limes, taking care not to take off the white pith which is bitter.

    2. Use a juicer, press or reamer to juice the fruits. Mix with the lime zest.

    3. Bring water to boil in a large Dutch oven then reduce to a simmer. (Make sure there is enough water in the Dutch Oven to keep boiling for 30 minutes.)

    Whisking butter into a mixture of lime juice and sugar.

    4. Place a large non-reactive bowl over the Dutch Oven, such that the base is not touching the water. (We don't want direct heat.)

    5. Add the citrus juice, zest and sugar to the bowl. Mix till the sugar is dissolved.

    6. Whisk in the butter, adding it 1 lump at a time. The mixture will be warm but should not be hot (you don't want to scramble the eggs later!)

    Slowly adding mixed eggs into lime juice, sugar and butter.

    7. Whisk 2 Tablespoons of the lime juice mixture into the eggs. Slowly pour small amounts of the egg mixture into the lime- not too much or it will curdle.

    8. Once half the lime mix has been added, you can pour the rest in then continue heating it slowly over medium heat, whisking continuously.

    To test if the curd is thick enough: Coat the back of a spoon (preferably wooden) with the curd and run a finger through. The lime sauce is at the right consistency when the gap made by your finger remains. (It will continue thickening as it cools and overnight.)

    How to Use

    Homemade fresh calamansi lime curd tastes amazing in:

    1. Cake Filling: it is the perfect addition to coconut cake and ice cream, for example.
    2. Lime Tart or Pie, as seen in the photo above. (Try this Key Lime Pie recipe.)The quantity in this recipe is enough for 1 large tart.
    3. With Cheesecake: the acidity of curd cuts through and lifts the rich flavors of a creamy cheesecake soooo well!
    4. In Cupcakes, especially with blueberries!
    5. Cream tea: goes really well with clotted cream and fresh scones!
    6. Mille Feiulle Crepe Cake: alternate with layers of buttercream so that the Mille-feuille isn't too sour. (You can mix the curd with whipped cream to make a tangy biscuit or cake cream.)
    7. Cookie Sandwich: such as in between 3-ingredients brown sugar cookies, to make a lime curd cookie!
    8. Spread for bread, such as French toast!
    9. Dropped into yogurt, smoothies, waffles or pancakes for breakfast!
    10. Or a Macaron filling!

    How to Store

    Keep in a sterilised airtight container in the fridge and it'll have a shelf life of 10-12 days.

    Alternatively, you can freeze it for 12 months. (Defrost it in the fridge for 1 day before using.)

    Tip: Freeze in an ice cube tray so that you can defrost small amounts instead of everything at 1 go!

    Expert Tips

    Tip #1: Roll your calamansi limes or microwave them for 5-10 seconds to help them release more fruit juice. (Unripe fruits, in particular, can be rather dry.) Also pick large limes, so that you won't have to squeeze so many!

    Tip #2: Let the creamy curd chill in the fridge for a few hours so that it can thicken up.

    Tip #3: You can mix limes with other fruits such as lemon, mango, raspberry, cranberry, blackberry and coconut to make other types of fruit curd such as lime lemon curd, lime orange curd etc etc!

    Tip #4: Mix with some tequila for Happy Hour Citrus Curd!

    Tip #5: Use a nonreactive bowl to make the calamansi curd so that it won't react with the acid in the limes such as stainless steel or enamel coated cast-iron. Steer clear of aluminium or cast iron which will taint the flavor of the lime curd and make it taste metallic.

    Recipe FAQs

    Why is my lime curd grainy?

    Unfortunately your curd got too hot/ boiled. As a result it has curdled and become grainy. The best you can do is to strain it with an extra fine sieve 2-3x but, even then, it won't be as smooth as a non-curdled curd.
    You can strain it to make it silky smooth, but I confess that I don't!

    Can I make curd using other fruits?

    Yes you can! Curd is best made from fruits with some acidity (to balance the sugar), so citrus fruits like lemon and grapefruit are great. Passionfruit and cranberry also make for delicious curds. Other fruits such as berries etc will need to be mixed with lemon juice to provide the sharpness.

    Why is my lime curd too thick?

    The curd will continue thickening even after you switch off the fire. If you find it too thick, you have heated it for too long! Conversely, if it's too thin, you've not heated it for long enough!

    Homemade calamansi lime curd in a glass jar.

    Other Tea Time Recipes

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    Enjoyed this easy Homemade Lime Curd Recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY liked this tangy sauce, a comment would make my week! Thank you and have a great day!

    Homemade calamansi lime curd in a glass jar.

    Homemade Lime Curd Recipe

    Zen
    This easy Homemade Lime Curd Recipe is thick, tangy, sweet and overflowing with fresh lime flavor. You only need 4 ingredients and under 30 minutes. It's so creamy, zesty and rich, you'll be happy to eat it on its own!
    5 from 37 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine Fusion
    Servings 1 tart
    Calories 888 kcal

    Equipment

    • Large pot or Dutch Oven
    • Non reactive bowl This ensures it won't react with the acid in the limes- use stainless steel or enamel coated cast-iron. Steer clear of aluminium or cast iron which will taint the flavor of the lime curd and make it taste metallic.
    • Heat proof whisk

    Ingredients
      

    • 3.5 oz Lime Juice and zest (100g) I use calamansi limes but you can use other types such as Key limes or Persian limes. Roll your limes or microwave them for 5-10 seconds to help them release more juice. (Unripe fruits, in particular, can be rather dry.)
    • 3.5 oz Caster White Sugar (100g) Substitute: granulated sugar, brown sugar etc
    • 1.75 oz Unsalted butter, cut into cubes (88% of a stick of butter if that helps!)
    • 2 Whole eggs, whisked together

    Instructions
     

    Set up your homemade double boiler/ bain-marie

    • Bring water to boil in a large Dutch oven then reduce to a simmer. (Make sure there is enough water in the Dutch Oven to keep boiling for 30 minutes.)
    • Place a non-reactive metal bowl over the Dutch oven, ensuring the bottom doesn't come into contact with the hot water.

    Juice and zest the limes

    • Gently zest your limes, taking care not to take off the white pith which is bitter.
    • Use a juicer, press or reamer to juice the fruits. Mix with the lime zest.

    Make the lime curd

    • Add the lime juice, zest and sugar to the bowl. Mix till the sugar is dissolved.
    • Whisk in the butter, adding it 1 lump at a time. The mixture will be warm but should not be hot (you don't want to scramble the eggs later!)
    • Add 2 Tablespoons of the hot lime mixture to the whisked eggs and mix well.
    • Slowly pour small amounts of the egg mixture into the lime mixture- not too much or it will curdle. Once half the eggs have been added, you can pour the rest in then continue heating it slowly over medium heat, whisking continuously till at the desired consistency.
    • To test if the lime curd is thick enough: Coat the back of a wooden spoon with the curd and run a finger through. The lime sauce is at the right consistency when the gap made by your finger remains.
    • The calamansi curd will continue thickening as it cools and overnight so leave it for a few hours before using (or it will be thin.)
    • Once cooled, store it in the fridge!

    Notes

    This recipe makes enough calamansi lime curd for 1 Lime Curd Tart.
    Storage
    Keep in a sterilised air-tight container in the fridge for 10-12 days.
    Alternatively, you can freeze it for 12 months. (Defrost it in the fridge for 1 day before using.) Use an ice cube tray so that you can defrost small amounts instead of everything at 1 go!
    Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 888kcalCarbohydrates: 108gProtein: 12gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 28gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 434mgSodium: 133mgPotassium: 251mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 101gVitamin A: 1765IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GreedyGirlGourmet or tag #greedygirlgourmet!

    If you've enjoyed this Homemade Lime Curd, I'd be super grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Instagram! 🙂

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    Greedygirlgourmet eating 2 sandwiches in Scotland

    Hi I'm Zhen also known as GGG! I couldn't boil water till I was 18 but after living abroad (in St. Andrews then London) for 11 years and having to cook for myself, I now love cooking for friends and family. Learning to cook late, I make sure my recipes go into enough detail for those new to Asian cuisine or who love a test kitchen approach to cooking!

    More about GGG ->

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