From “The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook” (c) 2000

LEMON CURD FOR TART FILLINGS (works for lemon bars, too)
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup baking sugar (fine granulated)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
1 stick cool, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (microplane is perfect for this)

Strain the egg yolks and the egg through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan. Make sure the sieve is large — it will strain more quickly this way.

Add the sugar and lemon juice, whisk to combine.

Cook over LOW heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon, about 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in the butter one piece at at time until it is fully incorporated. Stir in the lemon zest.

Cover the surface of the lemon curd with plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming. Chill until firm for one hour in the refrigerator before using. The curd may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

Cook in a pre-chilled and baked patee sucree tart shell for only ten minutes!

Note: another version of this recipe says one should strain the liquid through the sieve at the very end right before chilling the curd — after adding the butter. I guess you could do it this way too, but the straining part is crucial to curd smoothness.

From “The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook” (c) 2000

LEMON CURD FOR TART FILLINGS (works for lemon bars, too)
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup baking sugar (fine granulated)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
1 stick cool, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (microplane is perfect for this)

Strain the egg yolks and the egg through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan. Make sure the sieve is large — it will strain more quickly this way.

Add the sugar and lemon juice, whisk to combine.

Cook over LOW heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon, about 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in the butter one piece at at time until it is fully incorporated. Stir in the lemon zest.

Cover the surface of the lemon curd with plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming. Chill until firm for one hour in the refrigerator before using. The curd may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

Cook in a pre-chilled and baked patee sucree tart shell for only ten minutes!

Note: another version of this recipe says one should strain the liquid through the sieve at the very end right before chilling the curd — after adding the butter. I guess you could do it this way too, but the straining part is crucial to curd smoothness.