Goddess Lemon Curd -- Really

I know the lemon curd recipe I gave you awhile back was good. Of course it was. But I wasn't quite completely happy with it so there was no getting out of continued research and experimentation. Some of the results were okay, a couple were, let's say, unfortunate. It all worked out in the end. The above closeup may not actually be the Ultimate Microwave Lemon Curd but it has to be at least penultimate. At least. It makes me swoon. A mere teaspoon of the blessed stuff inspires giddiness and spontaneous humming.

My research turned up interesting information. Did you know lemon curd is also known as lemon cheese or lemon butter? I would guess that latter label is meant in the same sense as apple butter, do you think? Also, although only a couple of sources mentioned it, it's supposed to be better for the texture of the curd to add the butter last. (Some recipes don't call for butter at all.) In any case, that's what I did with this new recipe and the finished curd slides like silk across your tongue.

Also, there seems to be some difference of opinion on this but some chefs say using whole eggs makes for a thicker curd while others insist using only the yolks makes it thicker. I can't vouch for the difference, if any, because I hate recipes that require me to leave out either whites or yolks. Somehow they never seem to get used in anything, in spite of my best intentions.

But enough of that. Here's how you make Killer Lemon Curd. Wait. Why do all the best foods get accused of having a lethal nature? Killer This. Death by That. That can't be right. We'll have to do better. We'll call it:

GODDESS LEMON CURDWhisk together: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 2 eggs. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Whisk again, return to microwave for 1 more minute. Remove from oven and whisk in 1/4 cup of butter (2 ounces) that has been cut into pats, whisking one at a time until melted. Microwave for the final 1 minute, remove, whisk and let cool. Put in container with lid and refrigerate. Makes about 1 1/4 cups curd.

There you have it. Counting measuring and egg-cracking and whisking time, incredible curd in 5 or 6 easy minutes. It doesn't get much better than that. To my mind, the flavor of this version is the perfect balance of sweet and tart and, as I said, the texture is like silk. That gouge in the middle of the above bowl of curd happened when I spooned up some to fill a tart shell. And the angels sang.

I should add these notes: I'm using an 800 watt microwave. If yours is more powerful, you may want to adjust either time or power level. The thing you want to avoid is having flecks of egg white to sully the gold of your curd. That happens if you cook too high or too long. There appeared to be some flecks when I pulled it out after the first 2 minutes but a vigorous whisking seemed to solve that problem nicely.

When the curd is first done, it will seem runny. Don't be tempted to cook it longer. As long as it's thick enough to coat a spoon, it's just right. It will rapidly thicken as it cools and will end up about the consistency of mayonnaise or pudding.

I'm sure you could melt the butter before you whisk it in but that's just getting another dish dirty. Cut the pats right on the paper the cube was wrapped in, then toss the wrapping. The solid butter melts rapidly in the hot mixture and, anyway, I'll bet all that whisking is good for the curd. At the very least, it will make you feel virtuous and chef-like.

This smaller amount is perfect for me. I'm much more likely to use it all up before it gets too old. Besides, any time I want more, I can easily spare 5 or 6 minutes to fix it. I really don't know how well it would turn out if you doubled the recipe, supposing you wanted larger batches for gift giving. You might try one big batch to see, keeping in mind cooking time might be just a bit longer.

Jo had a great idea, using the curd for dipping sauce for her chicken fingers. I can vouch for how great it is in place of mayo in chicken sandwiches. Wonder how many other neat ways there are to use it? And then -- you know this HAS to happen, don't you -- there will be the fun of making curd with all different kinds of juices. Yum! A goddess just wants to have fun.