Lemon custard is a sweetened, succulent custard you use to fill rich desserts like creme brulee, mille feuille, tarts, meringue cups and more!
Mille Feuille with Lemon Custard Filling
Mille feuille is a dessert made with puff pastry layers, and a custard filling in between the layers.
For lemon mille feuille, custard is prepared by heating milk in a saucepan.
In another bowl, egg yolks and sugar are whisked together until combined. Flour and lemon zest are mixed into the egg yolk mixture, and then the hot milk is slowly added to create the custard.
Lemon custard is heated again the saucepan until it thickens. When it’s finished thickening, it is removed from the heat source, and then fresh lemon juice is added to create a tart lemon custard.
Lemon custard needs to chill for a few hours, and then whipped crème fraiche is folded into the lemon custard to thicken it.
Assemble lemon custard mille feuille by placing a layer of baked puff pastry on a cutting board.
Add a thick layer of lemon custard. Repeat, and end with another layer of puff pastry on the top so you have 3 layers.
Sprinkle with a dusting of icing sugar, or top with royal icing and drizzled dark chocolate for more of a classic mille feuille.
Lemon Crème Brulée
Lemon crème brulée is a specialty dessert with a crisp sugar coating on top of lemon custard.
Lemon crème brulée is made by heating heavy cream, sugar, fresh lemon zest, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat.
In another bowl, egg yolks are whisked together in a heat proof bowl.
When the heavy cream mixture just begins to simmer, slowly add it to the egg yolks whisking vigorously to temper the eggs.
After the cream has fully been added to the eggs, lemon extract and vanilla extract are added to complete the custard.
Lemon custard is poured into ramekins, and then baked in the oven in a water bath. Once the custard sets, and has cooled down, lemon custard is chilled in the fridge for a few hours.
When lemon crème brulée is ready to serve, add sugar on the top of the lemon custard dessert, and torch until the sugar is caramelized.
Lemon Custard Ice Cream
Lemon custard ice cream is a rich, tart ice cream.
Lemon custard is made by heating milk, lemon zest, and salt together in a saucepan over medium heat.
In another bowl, egg yolks and sugar are whisked together.
When the milk almost begins to bowl, slowly add it to the egg yolks mixture and whisk together to temper the eggs.
After the milk has been added to the bowl, place the entire mixture back into the saucepan, and heat the custard on low.
Lemon custard should thicken after a couple of minutes, then you can remove it from the heat source, and add heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract to create this luscious rich flavor for lemon ice cream.
Place the ice cream base in the fridge for a few hours, then it’s ready to churn in the ice cream maker. Freeze for a few hours to harden the ice cream before enjoying.
Lemon Custard Cookies
Lemon custard cookies are a thumbprint cookie where lemon custard sits in the center of the cookie.
Lemon custard cookies are made with a portion of almond flour, giving them a nutty flavor.
The cookie dough has a hint of lemon zest, and vanilla extract, making these cookies have a delicious vanilla, almond, and lemon flavoring.
Cookies are rolled in to a ball, and then pressed in the center with your thumb.
They are baked in the oven, and then pressed in the center again, this time with a spoon to make a crevasse for the custard to sit in.
When the cookies begin to cool, a spoonful of lemon custard is placed in the center of the cookie, and then they’re ready to serve!
Lemon Custard Cake
Lemon custard cake is a creamy and spongy cake that’s lovely to serve in the summer.
Egg yolks are beaten together with sugar, along with melted butter and vanilla extract.
Flour is folded in to create the base of the cake batter.
Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are added to the cake batter for citrusy lemon flavor.
Milk is added at the end to smooth out the cake batter.
Egg whites are beaten until stiff peaks form, and are folded into the cake batter. There should be a a few lumps of egg whites in the cake batter still that are not completely mixed in.
Lemon custard cake batter is poured into a pan and baked in the oven.
Let cool, and dust with powdered sugar.
Lemon Custard Pie
Lemon custard pie has a pate sucree pie crust which is a sweet, buttery pie crust that will melt in your mouth!
Pie crust in baked in the oven to pre-set the crust prior to adding the custard.
Milk is heated in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer.
In another bowl, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, eggs, egg yolk, and fresh lemon juice are whisked together until combined.
Eggs are tempered by slowly adding hot milk to the egg mixture, and whisking vigorously. After all of the hot milk is added to the eggs, the entire mixture is put back in the saucepan, and heated on medium heat.
Lemon custard will thicken up after a few minutes, and then is removed from the heat source.
Lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest are whisked into lemon custard, and then it can be poured into the baked crust.
Lemon custard pie is then baked in the oven to set the custard for about an hour, and then let to cool at room temperature. Chill the pie for 4 hours prior to serving.
When you’re ready to serve, top with tangy lemon whipped cream.
Lemon Custard Tart
Lemon custard tart has a succulent lemon flavor, with a buttery tart crust. You can even make them into mini tarts if desired.
Lemon custard is made by beating together butter and sugar, and slowly adding egg yolks until they have completely mixed together.
Add flour that has been dissolved into milk to the butter mixture and beat together.
Add fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to the butter mixture and set aside for later.
In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, and fold into the butter mixture.
Place your tart crust inside your tart pan, and then add your lemon custard inside the tart crust.
Bake in the oven for an hour, let cool, and chill in the fridge for a few hours. Serve with fresh slices of kiwi on top.
Lemon Custard Filled Meringue Cups
Lemon custard filled meringue cups have a crunchy meringue, with a soft custard in the middle.
Prepare the meringues by beating egg whites, vinegar, vanilla extract, and a dash of salt until soft peaks form.
Slowly add granulated sugar and beat until the meringue has formed stiff peaks, and looks glossy.
Spoon the glossy meringue to create mounds on a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper. Press a spoon until the mound to create an indent on the meringue. This will be a where the lemon custard will go later.
Bake the meringues in the oven, and then turn the oven off to let the shells dry in a warm oven for about an hour.
To make lemon custard, combined cornstarch, sugar, water and salt in a saucepan on medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer.
In another bowl, whisk egg yolks, and then slowly add the hot sugar to the egg yolks to temper the eggs.
Place the sugar egg yolks mixture back into the saucepan, and heat on medium until the custard begins to thicken.
Remove custard from the heat source, and add fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and cubed of butter.
Whisk the custard until the butter has completely melted into the custard.
Chill the custard for a few hours prior to serving.
When you’re ready to serve, place a meringue shell on a plate, spoon lemon custard in the center of the meringue.
Top with whipped cream and enjoy!
