If you're a fan of lemon desserts, don't miss this Lemon Curd Parfait! It's not hard to make your own lemon curd, and this great recipe proves it. Each bite features layers of fresh lemon curd, lemon cheesecake mousse, and shortbread cookies, offering a perfect blend of flavor and texture.
I'm a big fan of this lemon curd parfait recipe. It has a few more parts than most of our recipes but it is worth the effort. Using shortbread cookies creates the perfect crust to hold the rest of the lemon mixture and topping.
You can whip this up for baby showers, birthdays, dinner parties, or when you're craving that lemon flavor.
If you're a lemon lover, be sure to try this Lemon Biscuits Recipe and these Mini Lemon Cupcakes, too!
Ingredients
- Salted butter - This needs to be very soft, so make sure that it's at room temperature for a while before using.
- Sugar - Adds sweetness to the crust.
- Egg yolk - You'll be using this for the shortbread crust and curd filling.
- Flour - This is added to the crust for the lemon parfait recipe.
- Baking soda - Used in the crust.
- Vanilla extract - Adds a nice vanilla flavoring.
- Lemon zest - You'll use this in the curd and the mousse.
- Lemon juice - Fresh lemons give the best flavor.
- Heavy cream - Heavy whipping cream is a must for the mousse topping.
- Cream cheese - Adds creaminess to the mousse.
- Powdered sugar - Powdered sugar is used in the mousse for this particular recipe.
- Lemon extract - Always a good addition for added lemon flavoring.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Lemon Curd Parfaits
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add parchment paper to a cookie sheet.
Step One: Cream the sugars and butter in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in the egg yolk.
Step Two: Add the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
Step Three: Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
Step Four: Let them cool completely. Break into bite-sized pieces.
Step Five: To make the lemon card, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium saucepan, off the heat.
Step Six: Stir in the lemon zest. Drizzle the fresh lemon juice in while you are whisking.
Step Seven: Add pats of the butter. Place on the stove over medium-low heat. Cook until it is thick, and make sure you are whisking the entire time. This should take about 5 minutes.
Step Eight: Let it cool.
Step Nine: To make the lemon mousse, whip the heavy cream in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Put it into a separate bowl.
Step Ten: Whip the cream cheese, lemon extract, and sugar until it is light and fluffy.
Step Eleven: Add ⅓ of the whipped cream mixture and mix well. This will lighten the cheesecake mousse.
Step Twelve: Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
Step Thirteen: Layer the pieces of cookie with lemon curd and mousse in small cups or a small bowl. Use a piping bag to pipe the mousse or curd, if desired.
Step Fourteen: Top with berries or garnish with whipped cream and a lemon slice.
Top Tip
Make sure that you let all parts of this easy lemon parfait cool before moving onto the next steps. Otherwise, it will be too hot and things will melt and run together! You can prep all of the different layers a day or two in advance.
Substitutions
- Graham crackers - If you don't want to bake cookies, you can use crushed graham crackers to turn this into a no bake dessert. Vanilla wafer cookies, cubes of pound cake, or store-bought shortbread cookies will also work.
- Vanilla yogurt - For a quick swap, use vanilla or lemon yogurt in place of the lemon mousse. Greek yogurt works best.
Variations
- Lemon juice - I prefer using fresh regular lemons for this lemon curd recipe but bottled juice can work in a pinch.
- Citrus fruits - You could also try other citrus fruits like oranges and limes for this dessert.
See this Strawberry Curd Recipe for another fun flavor!
Equipment
You'll need an electric mixer, a stand mixer bowl, measuring cups, a baking sheet, parchment paper, a cookie scoop, and serving cups or bowls to make this perfect dessert.
Storage
You may have leftovers of this lemon parfait with homemade lemon curd! Be sure to store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them refrigerated. You can also freeze this recipe by covering it and placing it in the freezer.
Common Questions
If you get it too hot or cook it for too long, it will get lumpy. If that happens press it through a fine mesh sieve to remove the lumps.
I like to add whipped cream, fresh berries, and some lemon zest. You can also slice lemon slices and place them on the edge of the serving bowl or glass.
Related
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Curd Parfait
Ingredients
Shortbread
- ¼ cup salted butter very soft
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup flour
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Lemon Curd
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 4 tablespoon salted butter cut into 8 pieces
Lemon Mousse
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon extract or zest
Instructions
Shortbread
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugars in a medium bowl.
- Mix in egg yolk.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Scoop dough with a medium cookie scoop on the prepared pans.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool completely.
Lemon Curd
- In a medium saucepan, off the heat, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.
- Stir in the zest.
- Drizzle in the lemon juice while whisking.
- Add pats of butter.
- Place on the stove over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Cool completely.
Lemon Mousse
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a separate bowl.
- Whip the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon extract until light and fluffy. Add ⅓ of the whipped cream and mix well.
- Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Assembly
- Layer broken pieces of cookies with lemon curd and lemon mousse in small glass cups.
- Use a piping bag to pipe the mousse and/or curd for a nice presentation.
- Top with a berry, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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