Makes 2 1/2 Cups
10 Large Egg Yolks (Reserve the Whites for Another Use)
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice (From About 6 Large Lemons)
Finely Grated Zest of 3 Lemons
6 Tablespoons (3 Ounces) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
In a medium size heatproof bowl whisk together the yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water being sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the mixture with a wire whisk continually until the mixture becomes thickened to the consistency of pudding, about 10 minutes. (You must whisk continually to prevent the eggs from scrambling.)
Remove the bowl from the pan and whisk in the butter by bits until completely incorporated. Transfer the curd to a clean bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
(For a very smooth consistency, strain the warm curd through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Proceed as above. Personally, I like the little bits of zest in the curd and I usually skip the straining step.)
