LEMON BUTTER with TOAST

Lemon curd is one of those old-school recipes that I never get sick of. I make a big batch when lemons are at their juiciest and have it on hand to fill a sweet pastry case for the quickest lemon tart, or to serve alongside scones with clotted cream. But I probably like it best spread as thickly as possible on toasted sourdough bread for brekky.

Preparation Time 10 minutes | Cooking Time 10 minutes, plus chilling | Serves 6

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

120 g (4¼ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

5 eggs

160 g (5½ oz/²/₃ cup) butter, diced

1 loaf of sourdough bread, thickly sliced

Combine the lemon zest and juice, sugar and eggs in a saucepan and whisk until smooth, then place over a low heat and stir continuously for 4–5 minutes with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.

Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, stirring continuously until all the butter is incorporated before adding more, then strain through a sieve into a sterilised jar and refrigerate to chill for about 3–4 hours.

To serve, lightly toast the sourdough bread and spread thickly with the lemon butter. This recipe makes about 2 cups and will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.