Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 1-1/2  teaspoons cornstarch
• 4  teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel (set aside)
• 1/3  cup lemon juice
• 1/4  cup butter, cut up
• 3  beaten eggs

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan (do not use an aluminum pan) combine sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Add butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

2. Stir about half of the mixture into beaten eggs. Return all to saucepan. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until mixture begins to thicken. Do not boil. Strain to remove any egg particles. Gently stir lemon peel into hot mixture and pour into small jars. Cool. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes 1-3/4 cups spread (fourteen, 2-tablespoon servings).

To Present This As a Gift: You will need a candy jar with lid, paintbrush, decoupage medium, paper napkin with dainty design, scissors, ribbon, platic wrap, watercolor paper, paper punch, fine-line marking pen, and satin cord.

Wash and dry the candy jar and lid. Paint the underside of the lid with decoupage medium. While the lid is wet, tuck the napkin up into the lid, carefully pressing into place against decoupage medium. Trim away the exess napkin and fold the napkin up to make a smooth edge. Cut a few small motifs from the napkin and decoupage on the outside of the jar. Let the decoupage medium dry. Tie a ribbon around the jar lid knob. Be sure to cover the curd with plastic wrap to prevent it from coming into contact with the napkin and decoupage medium. Include preparation instructions, below, with gift.

For the tag, cut the watercolor paper to the desired size of the tag. Fold in half. Punch a hole near the fold. Decoupage a motif from the napkin in the center of the tag. Let dry. Add two marking-pen rules at the bottom of the tag, inside and out. Thread cord through holes and tie around jar top.

Also Try This: Use small motifs from wrapping paper to embellish the jar and tag.

Serving Suggestion: Spoon Luscious Lemon Curd into baked miniature phyllo shells and garnish with wedges of kiwi fruit and fresh blueberries.