The mere mention of the words lemon curd sets our taste buds a-tickle. Anyone can whip up a pint (plus a bit to spare) of this tart pantry perk, but it takes some serious willpower not to grab a spoon and eat the entire silky spread straight from the pan. To make this one-pot wonder, whisk together 3 large eggs in a large saucepan. Add 1¼ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup room-temperature butter, and the zest and juice of 3 lemons (about ²?³ cup juice). Stir well. Cook on medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring periodically. Reduce heat to low and let cook 2 minutes longer, stirring gently. Turn off the heat and let curd sit for 1 to 2 hours to thicken. Pour into clean jars, seal and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Spread it on toast, scones, biscuits, pancakes, crepes or French toast, stir it into plain yogurt, or use it to spike your morning parfait.
This article appears in May 2013.