Fresh Berries with Lemon Cream

This luscious lemon cream, a staple in Belinda Leong's crème brûlée–style lemon tarts, has a bracing tartness. It's lovely as a topping for scones and biscuits at brunch or dolloped on fresh berries for dessert, as in the recipe here. Recipe from Food & Wine America's Greatest New Cooks 

Fresh Berries with Lemon Cream
Photo: © Christina Holmes
Total Time:
30 mins
Yield:
8 to 10

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)

  • 4 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk

  • Salt

  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed

  • Mixed fresh berries, for serving

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil; keep the water at a simmer over low heat. In a large stainless steel or glass bowl, using your fingers, rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Whisk in the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk and a pinch of salt. Set the bowl over the simmering water and cook the mixture, stirring, until very thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the cream into a medium bowl.

  2. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter to the cream. Using an immersion blender, puree until the cream is smooth. Add the remaining butter and puree until incorporated. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream and refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours. Spoon over fresh berries and serve.

Make Ahead

The lemon cream can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

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