Lemon Curd by Fine Cooking

This is the lightest, creamiest lemon curd I've ever had. It does not curdle so there are no tiny bits of cooked egg to ruin the look of the curd. The flavors are well balanced. I've used it as a topping for lemon cake and a filling for tarts and as a jar-to-spoon treat. (Yum!) I found this recipe at the finecooking.com website. You can check there for great pictures of the process to help you on your first try with this.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 3  ounces butter, unsalted, room temperature
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 2  large  egg yolks
• 2⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon zest

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, about 2 minutes.
2. Slowly add the eggs and yolks. Beat for 1 minute.
3. Mix in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but it will smooth out as it cooks.
4. In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth. (The curdled appearance disappears as the butter in the mixture melts.)
5. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes; It should leave a path on the back of a spoon and will read 170°F on a thermometer. Don't let the mixture boil.
6. Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest.
7. Transfer the curd to a bowl. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming and chill the curd in the refrigerator. The curd will thicken further as it cools.
8. Covered tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for 2 months.