FRESH LEMON CURD

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

If you like lemons, you will love this curd and will only use store-bought when time is limited. I found the recipe in an issue of Gourmet magazine. The recipe may be halved and I have added those amounts in the parentheses. But it keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 1 week.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind (halved = 2-1/2 teaspoons)

1 cup fresh lemon juice (halved = 1/2 cup)

1-1/3 cups sugar (halved = 1/2 cup + 2-1/2 tablespoons)

4 large eggs (halved = 2 large eggs)

Pinch of salt (halved = small pinch of salt)

1-3/4 sticks (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) butter, preferably unsalted, divided into 14 tablespoons (halved = 7 tablespoons)

Place the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk to blend. Add butter and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick like a custard and bubbling on the surface, about 15 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve to remove any bits that might have stuk to the pan; cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with scones, muffins, biscuits, angel food cake, pound cake, in a tart shell or as is, with sweetened whipped cream.

Note: The original recipe said the curd would thicken in about 10 minutes. When I make it, it takes about 20 minutes, so I split the difference and said 15. It depends on the heat source and pan.

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