How To Use Six (or Eight) Egg Yolks

The Christmas Coconut Cake uses a LOT of egg whites.  Since then, the yolks have been languishing in the freezer, complaining about not being used. So for the first project of the year, I turned them into lemon curd; there's nothing better than knowing that this tart, rich stuff is in the refrigerator, waiting to turn an ordinary meal into a party.

Lovely Lemon Curd

Put 6 -8 egg yolks in a large metal bowl and whisk in a cup of sugar.  Add the juice of 5 lemons (about a cup and a quarter) and the grated rind of two lemons.  

Get some water simmering on the stove, put the bowl on top of the pot (you’re essentially making a double boiler), and whisk for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is thick.  Add a stick of cold butter, a bit at a time, whisking until the butter has vanished into the curd.  Strain if you care for smooth curd. 

Spoon into jars, or bowls and put some wax paper on top to keep a skin from forming as it cools. Allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate.

Refrigerated, this will keep for a couple of weeks. It’s a wonderful filling for a simple cake, perfect spooned into a baked tart shell (a few berries on top are even nicer), and really terrific spread onto gingerbread. It's great on toast, and folded into whipped cream it turns into instant mousse.