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.
It's the perfect filling for lemon tarts, of course, but also verrines, profiteroles, eclairs, etc.
202 K 3.8/5 (48 reviews)
25 min.
Easy
350 g
6 IngredientsLast modified on: May 9th 2018
For 350 g, you will need:
- 1
8.8 oz Milk - 2
1 lemon - 3
½ vanilla pod - 4
3 egg yolks - 5
1.1 oz caster sugar - 6
0.7 oz cornflour
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 9 min.
Cooking: 15 min.
All in all: 25 min.
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.
Stage 2 - 1 min.
...and add ½ vanilla pod. Mix well.
Stage 3 - 7 min.
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.
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.
Stage 5 - 1 min.
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.
Pour the mixture back into the pan, put on low heat and leave to thicken while beating continuously.
Stage 7 - 2 min.
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.
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 recipe | 30 RDI=10 % | 60 RDI=6 % | 30 RDI=5 % | 650 RDI=30 % | 2,720 RDI: 30 % |
| Per 100 g | 5 RDI=2 % | 10 RDI=1 % | 6 RDI=1 % | 130 RDI=7 % | 550 RDI: 7 % |
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
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.
63 K5 25 min.
Ramekins with almonds, apples and lemon
A small individual dessert in a ramekin with 3 layers: almond cream, caramelized apples and lemon custard.
15 K 45 min.
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.
52 K3.8 45 min.
Clafoutis "Marie-Antoinette"
This "Marie-Antoinette" clafoutis is a lighter version of the traditional fruit-in-batter baked dessert, almost a soufflé, with apples and lemon. The apples are sautéed in butter and Calvados, then combined with a lemon-flavoured confectioner's custard, lightened with raw meringue. This mixture is...
50 K4.9 1 hour 20 min.
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.
68 K 3 hours 15 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Milk
Like these other recipes: Mascarpone fondant with two lemons, Doughnuts, Chocolate tart, Crème brulée, Liège waffles, ... See them all 60
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Nougat, Boulangère tart tatin with vine nectarines, Lime confectioner's custard (pastry cream), Tatin apples with mascarpone cream, Caramelized apple "moelleux" cake, ... See them all 360
Cornflour
Like these other recipes: Mint and chocolate cream, Langoustine gratin, Two-stage beef chuck , Pumpkin (or potimarron) soup, Caramelized pear custard tart, ... See them all 33
Egg yolk
Like these other recipes: Crème brulée, Cannelés, Vanilla ice cream, Finger biscuits, Smoked eggs, ... See them all 73
Other recipes you may also like
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 2025293 K 24.5 3 hours 8 min.
Sweet pancake rolls from Brittany
Stewed apples, raisins soaked in whisky, toasted almonds, rolled in a lightly caramelized pancake.March 10th 2015248 K4.3 2 hours 20 min.
Fillings for macaroons
The macaroons recipe shows how to make these small cakes, and gives the example of a raspberry filling. Here are several other possibilities: Apricot macaroons, Chocolate macaroons, Mint macaroons, Blackcurrant macaroons.May 30th 2020298 K 24.3 2 hours 1 min.
Clarified butter
This is a way of melting butter to eliminate all the impurities. The clarified butter can then be heated without spoiling, and is more digestible. It is ideal for cooking at high temperatures where small black specks would spoil the appearance, or for emulsified sauces like béarnaise or mousseline.June 21th 2017465 K4.2 2 hours 15 min.
How to cook Morteau sausage well
This is, in my opinion, the best smoked sausage. You can cook it in a number of ways, here are three of the best known.November 15th 20182.77 M 23.4 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-05-18)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
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.
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.