Recipe: Lemon curd

Total time: 25 minutes

Servings: 12 (about 1 1/2 cups)

Note: If you like your lemon very sweet, increase the sugar by 2 tablespoons. To make lime curd, substitute 4 limes. To make lemon-lime curd, use 1 lemon and 2 limes.

2 large lemons

3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in chunks

1. Zest the lemons into a stainless steel bowl or the top of a double boiler. Squeeze the juice from the lemons into the bowl. Add the sugar and eggs and beat until blended. Add the butter and set the bowl or the pan over, but not touching, simmering water.

2. Cook, stirring almost constantly and scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture thickens enough to heavily coat the back of a wooden spoon, 15 minutes or so. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Use immediately or cover with a sheet of plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a film from forming and refrigerate until needed.

Each serving: 128 calories; 22 mg. sodium; 86 mg. cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0 fiber.