Recipe for Lemon Cream. Pucker Up!

It looks like this week is all about sharing recipes I made from my growing collection of cookbooks. Hope you don't mind! I might share a restaurant review with you over the weekend...or make you wait until next week.

Last month, I received a preview copy of Grace's Sweet Life. The book is all about desserts: Homemade Italian Desserts from Cannoli, Tiramisu and Panna Cotta to Torte,  Pizzeelle and Struffoli.

Each recipe is introduced by its Italian name, which made me quite nervous. It just seemed to make the recipe sound that much more difficult, albeit authentic. Also, the instructions were a bit lengthy.

I decided to try making the lemon cream. No, the recipe for lemon cream wasn't a separate recipe. It was part of Tartelette alla Crema di Limone e Meringa all Italiana! Or in English, Lemon Meringue Tartlets. I skipped the tartlets and the meringue part ;)

Lemon Cream
Recipe from Grace's Sweet Life by Grace Massa Langlois

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)*

grated zest of 1 lemon

4 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/2 cup superfine sugar**

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10 equal pieces

*I was doubtful that 2 lemons will provide enough juice, but it actually worked! Just to be on a safe side, pick up a few extra lemons at the store

**I did not have superfine sugar and could not find it at the store, so ended up putting regular sugar into my food processor and "chopping" it until it appeared superfine.

Directions
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream and lemon juice and zest to a boil.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale in color.

3. In a slow, steady stream, gradually pour the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly until well combined.
4. Pour the egg-cream mixture into the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
5. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
6. Strain the lemon cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium heatproof bowl. Whisk in the butter two pieces at a time.

7. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the lemon cream to prevent a skin from forming while it cools. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

You can eat the cream with berries or use it as a filling for cakes and tarts. It's definitely lemony and tart, but at the same time buttery and smooth. Plus, the color is stunning.

I ended up giving a jar of the lemon cream to a friend at work. When I asked her how she used it, she said "ate it with a spoon." There you go ;)

Have you made lemon cream before? How would YOU use it?