Today, I bought Meyer lemons for the first time. I've seen these praised in recipes before, but I had never tried one. For those of you that don't know the difference between a lemon and a Meyer lemon, a Meyer lemon is a true lemon crossed with a mandarin orange. It's a hybrid (and a delicious one at that).
Meyer lemons taste like a lemon who has taken a deep breath and had a chance to calm down. It isn't trying to knock out your taste buds. They are less tart than a true lemon, but still have that signature flavor. I can eat them raw without puckering up my face into a frightful look.
Finally, a lemon I can handle.
In the depths of winter, I love to see a splash of citrus sunshine on my plate. It's a little reminder that spring is on its way. With such a bright, vibrant color, these lemons are sunshine.
In many ways, I believe The Temptations were really singing about this lemon curd for the song My Girl. Oh, you know it. "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May."
I imagine they hesitated because lemon curd wouldn't sell as much sex. Pity, really.
This Meyer Lemon Curd is bottled sunshine. It's creamy, tangy, and smooth as silk. Feel free to eat it on toast, crackers, muffins, or place a dollop on top of your oatmeal for a lemon touch. But, if you're like me, you can just eat it plain and by the spoonful.
Meyer Lemon Curd
Adapted from Dessert First
Yields 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup sugar
Zest from 2 meyer lemons (regular lemons will also work)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces, softened
In a double boiler, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Mix together with your fingers until fragrant. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice.
Whisking constantly, cook the mixture until it thickens (you should be able to make tracks in the mixture with your whisk). Strain the mixture into a food processor or blender to get rid of the zest. Allow the cream to sit for a few minutes before adding the butter. Blend on high speed until absolutely smooth.
Once blended, let the curd chill in the refrigerator for about half an hour before using. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
