Lemon Confectioner's Custard


Lemon Confectioner's Custard
This recipe is for a confectioner's custard with a difference: it's a little less sweet than the classic confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) and has double lemon flavour, using both zest and juice, for plenty of tangy lemon taste.

It's the perfect filling for lemon tarts, of course, but also verrines, profiteroles, eclairs, etc.
213 K 3.8/5 (48 reviews)
Grade this recipe:
Keywords:
Last modified on: May 9th 2018
For 350 g, you will need:

Change these quantities to make:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 9 min.
Cooking: 15 min.
All in all: 25 min.
When should you start or finish this recipe?
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time

Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 2 min.
Lemon Confectioner's Custard : Stage 1
Pour 250 ml milk into a saucepan.

Grate the lemon zest into the milk...

Stage 2 - 1 min.
Lemon Confectioner's Custard : Stage 2
...and add ½ vanilla pod. Mix well.

Stage 3 - 7 min.
Lemon Confectioner's Custard : Stage 3
Bring to the boil on medium heat.

As soon as the milk comes to the boil, take off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.

Stage 4 - 3 min.
Lemon Confectioner's Custard : Stage 4
Mix 3 egg yolks and 30 g caster sugar with a soft spatula. Add 20 g cornflour and mix again.

Stage 5 - 1 min.
Lemon Confectioner's Custard : Stage 5
Pour the milk, while it is still hot, onto the egg yolks through a sieve to remove the lemon zest (which has a rather unpleasant texture in the mouth). Stir to mix thoroughly.

Stage 6 - 7 min.
Lemon Confectioner's Custard : Stage 6
Pour the mixture back into the pan, put on low heat and leave to thicken while beating continuously.

Stage 7 - 2 min.
Lemon Confectioner's Custard : Stage 7
Once the custard has thickened, leave to cook for 10 minutes uncovered, then add the lemon juice and beat in rapidly with the whisk.

Your lemon confectioner's custard is ready.

Stage 8
If you want to cool the custard quickly, even very quickly, do it like the professionals. See how in this video.
Remarks
To make a lime version of this custard, simply use a lime instead of the lemon.
Keeping: 1 or 2 days in the fridge, covered with plastic film.
Source: Based on recipe by Gaston Lenôtre.
Nutritional information
Proteins (gr)Carbohydrates (gr)Fats (gr)Energy value (in k-calories)Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe30 RDI=10 %60 RDI=6 %30 RDI=5 %650 RDI=30 %2,720 RDI: 30 %
Per 100 g5 RDI=2 %10 RDI=1 %6 RDI=1 %130 RDI=7 %550 RDI: 7 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man
Possible allergens in this recipe: milk, egg
How much will it cost?
  • For 350 g : 2.20 €

Change currency:

Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipeSee them all 6
Lemon Meringue Pie Verrines
Lemon Meringue Pie Verrines

This is a new twist on the classic lemon meringue pie. All the elements are there: sweet crunchy bits, meringue and lemon custard, but presented in layers in a glass.
70 K5 25 min.
Strawberry feuilleté
Strawberry feuilleté

This elegant French dessert is not quite a tart. The base is a circle of puff pastry baked and caramelized, then topped when cold with a thin layer of lime-flavoured confectioner's custard and beautiful fresh strawberries.
59 K3.8 45 min.
Lemon and lime custard tart
Lemon and lime custard tart

This is a delicious version of the classic French baker's "flan", with the twin flavours of lemon and lime. It involves two different confectioner's custards poured one on top of the other. This gives an attractive layered effect when the tart is cut. Not just pretty, it is delicious.
76 K 3 hours 15 min.
Ramekins with almonds, apples and lemon
Ramekins with almonds, apples and lemon

A small individual dessert in a ramekin with 3 layers: almond cream, caramelized apples and lemon custard.
23 K 45 min.
Mini lemon millefeuilles
Mini lemon millefeuilles

These dainty and delicious mini millefeuilles have layers of puff pastry filled with lemon confectioner's custard (pastry cream). They are a bit tricky because they are quite fragile and do not keep well once assembled. But freshly made, they are a true delight.
51 K 2 hours 25 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Other recipes you may also like
Chestnut cake
Chestnut cake
This delightful cake is doubly chestnutty: it contains chestnut flour, and sweet chestnut purée.
August 28th 2025347 K5 1 hour 15 min.
Epiphany galette
Epiphany galette
Here is the recipe for the very classic but delicious "galette des rois" (Epiphany galette) in puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée) with almond cream or frangipane . You will also see some professional tips to easily handle the dough, and obtain a nice and regular galette.
January 1st 2025307 K 24.5 3 hours 8 min.
Express apple tart
Express apple tart
A fine apple tart, very quick to make.
April 8th 2020378 K 24.6 55 min.
Flambéd bananas
Flambéd bananas
The trick of this recipe is to end up with bananas caramelised on the outside, still firm on the inside, coated with a tasty syrup which is not 95% butter.
February 21th 2011338 K 14 40 min.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu
Classic italian recipe (the name means "pull me up" or more poetically, "take me up to the sky"). It's similar to a charlotte in its structure: layers of flavoured biscuits between layers of smooth cream.
July 27th 2013511 K5 50 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com

Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)

*Your e-mail Your first name or nickname
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Posted by:
I am not a leaving thing

Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.

Back to top of page