Lemon Curd

I had 5 egg yolks in my refrigerator and 2 lemons about to expire on my counter. Fortunately, I had earmarked a posting on Food in Jars about lemon curd. This lemon curd is sweet, tart and buttery. (Amazing how a stick of butter will do that.)

I canned most of my lemon curd, which makes about a pint total. The nice thing about canning it is it makes it shelf stable for about two months, which should be plenty long for me to incorporate it into cupcakes. And some will be dolloped into little phyllo cups for dessert.

Lemon Curd
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
zest of lemons (I used 2 lemons for my juice and zest)
1 stick butter

In a small saucepan whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Add the lemon juice, and use a wooden spoon to stir constantly for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil. The curd is done when it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. (It will thicken more as it sets.)

Remove from heat, and pour through a fine wire sieve to remove any cooked egg bits. Stir in zest and butter, stirring until butter melts. (This is a quicker process if you cut your butter into chunks.)

Cool, and refrigerate. If you choose to can your lemon curd, use sterilized jars and fill them with 1/2-inch headspace. Process in hot water bath 20 minutes. (Note: Use 1/2 pint or smaller jars to allow proper heat penetration.) Yield: About 1 pint of lemony deliciousness.