lemon curd

The winter months have been a blur -- imageries of events and information. A form of memory gets trapped in the objects we create - a type of nostalgia. When I eat lemon curd I will always think of this cold winter.

Revisiting a draft, while written months prior, after countless happenings - here we end up full circle. With a jar of lemon curd.

lemon curd | makes about 4 half-pint jars
adapted from the National Center for Home Food Preservation

2 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon zest (zest from 2-3 large lemons)
1 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1-inch pieces
7 large egg yolks
4 large whole eggs

This recipe uses a double boiler, as safely cooking this delicate egg-based curd may otherwise result in lemony-scrambled eggs.

To prepare double boiler: Heat water in the bottom pan of the double boiler until it boils gently (I use an all-clad sauce pan with a small metal bowl inset). The water should not boil vigorously or touch the bottom of the top double boiler pan or bowl in which the curd is to be cooked. Steam produced will be sufficient for the cooking process to occur.

Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a bowl, stir to mix, and let sit for about 30 min.

In the top of the double boiler, removed from the heat, whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together until thoroughly mixed. Slowly whisk in the sugar and zest, blending until well mixed and smooth. Blend in the lemon juice and then add the butter pieces to the mixture.

Place the top of the double boiler over boiling water in the bottom pan. Stir gently but continuously with a silicone spatula to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F.

Remove the double boiler pan from the stove and place on a protected surface, such as a dish cloth or towel on the counter top. Continue to stir gently until the curd thickens (about 5 minutes). At this point you may choose to strain the curd to remove the zest. I do not.

Fill hot strained curd into the clean, hot half-pint jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Process in a hot water bath for 15 - 20 minutes.

Word to the wise: Do not heat the water in the canner to more than 180°F before jars are added. If the water in the canner is too hot when jars are added, the process time will not be long enough. The time it takes for the canner to reach boiling after the jars are added is expected to be 25 to 30 minutes for this product. Process time starts after the water in the canner comes to a full boil over the tops of the jars.