Recipe: Lemon Curd

My lemon tree is a little skimpy on fruit this year. Not sure why. I usually have a mountain of lemons and sadly we end up wasting a lot of them.  While we wait for fruit, let's explore some lemon recipes.

This year my lemon inspiration list includes: lemonade, lemon cake, lemon muffins, lemon sorbet and most importantly lemon curd.

Here's a lemon curd recipe from Martha Stewart. It's easy to make, although I would double or even triple the recipe. I find that one and a half cups is hardly enough. Try it on toast, on ice cream or with soft cheeses like ricotta and goat cheese.

• Yield Makes 1 1/2 cups

 Ingredients

• 3 large egg yolks, strained
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

Directions

1. Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
   
2. Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring with the wooden spoon until consistency is smooth.
   
3. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to avoid a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour.