Active Time

　　20 min

　　Total Time

　　20 min

　　Good enough to eat by the spoonful, this curd can be used as a cake or tart filling or served with scones, muffins, or fresh fruit.

Ingredients

　　3 to 4 Meyer lemons (about 1 pound)

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　2 large eggs

　　1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

　　Finely grate enough zest from lemons to measure 2 teaspoons and squeeze enough juice to measure 1/2 cup. Whisk together zest, juice, sugar, and eggs in a metal bowl and add butter. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, whisking, until thickened and smooth and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F, about 5 minutes. Force curd through a fine sieve set into another bowl. Serve warm or cover surface of curd with wax paper and cool completely.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　• Lemon curd keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week.

　　• If substituting regular lemons, increase sugar to 3/4 cup.