A Lemon Story

I've had a Meyer lemon tree for a long time -- longer than we've had the walls of windows breakfast room. Most years I've gotten some lemons -- but this year it was just two -- I don't know if the hot and dry summer was a factor but it is still great to have two Meyer lemons that I grew myself!!!

And those lemons are a true treat and what fun it is to decide exactly how I am going to use them!

This year, I made curd. For I was having The Lunch Bunch for lunch and decided that lemon curd tartlets would be the perfect dessert. I would share my Meyer lemon bounty with my dear friends.

The curd made, the tartlet shells baked . . .

And what a pretty dessert it was -- individual lemon curd tartlets topped with shipped cream and blackberries.

Two lemons made enough curd for tartlets for the four of us and . . .

There was enough curd leftover for my breakfast muffin the next morning.

A great breakfast of a Wolferman's English muffin, fresh blackberries, grapefruit juice, coffee and the lemon curd.

I use the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for lemon curd -- it's good for tarts or pie filling or cake filling or just eating as is on breakfast toast or muffins or afternoon scones. It's easy to do and can be kept in the refrigerator.

LEMON CURD

4 lemons, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 extra large eggs, at room temperature

1/8 t. salt

Remove the zest of the lemons with a vegetable peeler, being careful to avoid the white pitch. Square the lemons to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lemon curd will thicken at about 175 degrees or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat.

You can pour into jars, put into a tart shell or refrigerate to put between layers of a cake.

It's Friday, which means that it's time for Foodie Friday -- so please join Michael at Designs by Gollum to see what other foods there are this Friday.