Lemon curd is a quintessentially English treat. It reminds me of tea at Harrod’s in London when I was in the 5th grade. It’s delicious slathered over scones with cream or baked in a fruit tart. I especially love it when it makes you pucker.

The following recipe, from the cookbook Once Upon A Tart, was prepared the other night by my friend. She made another batch from a Martha Stewart recipe and, in a blind tasting, this one won hands down. While Martha’s was delicious, Once Upon A Tart’s had a cleaner, more pure lemon flavor, even though both were made from fresh lemons.

Give it a try…

Lemon Curd (from Once Upon A Tart)

Grate the rind of one lemon and set aside. Beat 8 egg yolks in a bowl to break them up. Pour the yolks through a sieve into a heavy-bottomed pot to strain out the white membranes. Stir in 1 ¼ cups sugar and ¾ cups lemon juice (3-4 lemons) and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden or heatproof rubber spatula in a figure-eight motion, making sure to scrape the edges of the pot.

Continue cooking until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of your spoon. Lift the spoon out of the curd and run your finger down the length of the spoon. If your finger leaves a line, the curd is thick enough. If the curd runs and covers up the line, it’s too runny and needs to cook longer.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter and the lemon zest, and stir until the butter is completely melted. Pour the curd into a small bowl, and let cool to room temperature. Cover the cooled curd, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use. Lemon curd will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Stand in front of the refrigerator late at night, in your pajamas, and spoon-feed yourself lemon curd.

Sweet dreams…

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When I was a child we’d often visit my maternal grandparents in Sonoma, California. One of my favorite things to do, when I wasn’t roaming the back forty on one of my grandpa’s horses, was to go down to Vella Cheese Company and get a bag of fresh cheese curd. If memory serves correctly they only had it on specific days. And I was there at the door, money in hand, ready for my “squeaky cheese,” as we called it.
If you’ve never had cheese curd let me tell you about this little treat. It’s the fresh, young random-shaped curd from cheddar cheese before it’s processed into blocks to age. Cheddar cheese usually ages from at least 60 days to many years. Curd, on the other hand, needs to be eaten fresh and unrefrigerated (within about 12 hours) otherwise it turns dry and salty. You know good, fresh curd when it squeaks between your teeth.

Unfortunately, Vella’s doesn’t sell cheese curd anymore. I have begged them over the years, to no avail (insert soft weeping here). But, their other cheeses are simply divine in their own right. I still go there every time I’m in Sonoma, money in hand.

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