lemon curd

 

Zap! Here is sunshine on a spoon! How many adjectives for lemon can you think of? Fresh and zingy are good ones to start with. But when coaxed into creamy perfection with butter and eggs - yes, that's lemon curd - well, I think of cheery domestic-goddess-goodness.

How can you not be happy when contemplating a great dollopy spoonful of something this yellow and sharp?

Lemon curd
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's 'How to be a domestic goddess'. I use more lemon, and make the curd over a double boiler - that is, a bowl sitting atop a saucepan of simmering water. Nigella uses the saucepan only, but I don't trust myself not to make lemony scrambled eggs, so gentle indirect heat is the way for me.

• Juice enough lemons to produce 150 mls of juice.
• Set up a large bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water on your stovetop.
• Add 75 gms butter, 3 large eggs and 75 gms white sugar, whisking or stirring (depending on your implement) all the time to ensure the eggs don't scramble (if the odd white bit does form, just pick it out) and until the mixture starts to thicken. You'll feel this thickening beneath the spoon, just as you can catch that wonderful moment when you're whipping cream and it starts to get some body. It's one of cooking's quietly satisfying moments, don't you agree?
• When nicely thick, transfer to a clean jar or bowl and allow to cool before covering. Store in the fridge and as Nigella would say, use greedily.