5 Yolk Lemon Curd

I am taking on the task of making macarons. If I ever become happy with how they turn out, I will post the recipe and many many pictures. Because I have used 10 egg whites already throughout my endeavors, I had to find ways to use the yolks. I decided to make Sara's favorite: lemon curd. She already posted a wonderful recipe for lemon curd when she made her Rosemary Lemon Cake filling, but I decided to post this recipe because it only uses yolks.

(If my macarons turn out, I'll use the lemon curd to fill them!)

5 Yolk Lemon Curd

{ 5 egg yolks / 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used about 2.5 lemons) /
about 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (I zested around 3.5 lemons) / 1 cup sugar / 1 stick butter, chilled and cut into pieces }

Set a pan with about 1 inch of water in it to boil on the stove. Whisk the yolk and sugar together in a metal heatproof bowl. Add and whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Set the bowl over the water in the pan (making sure the water is not touching the bowl), and whisk, whisk, whisk. Whisk for about 6 minutes, or until the lemon curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not stop whisking, or else the mixture might curdle. Take the lemon curd off the heat, and add the butter one chunk at a time and string after each addition.

I did not have to strain my curd because there were no lumps, but if you have lumpy lemon curd, strain it through a metal mesh sieve. Let it cool, then store it in the fridge with plastic wrap on the surface so a skin does not form.

You can keep this in the fridge for up to 3 weeks!
Lemon curd is so great because it goes so well with so many things. In between cake layers, macaron shells, on crackers, on toast, etc.