Sugar Cube (32 page)

• 2 cups sugar
  
• 1 cup water
  
• 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  teaspoons fleur de sel
  
• 2 cups heavy cream, warmed (see tip)
  
• 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• IN A DEEP HEAVY-BOTTOMED POT
  , combine the sugar, water, and salt and stir until well mixed. Cook over high heat until the sugar starts to color around the edges of the pot, swirling the pan to promote even caramelization of the sugar. (Do not stir or the sugar will crystallize, that is, harden.) Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the caramel is very dark mahogany in color and lightly smoking (it should be on the verge of burning), 10 to 15 minutes.
  
• IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THE POT
  from the heat, and while stirring with a whisk or wooden spoon, add the warmed cream in a steady stream. (Since you’re taking the caramel to the dark side, you have to work quickly and begin adding the cream right away to stop the cooking process. But you don’t want to add it all at once, so pour it in a continuous, steady stream. Be careful: The mixture will steam and bubble up furiously. I recommend wearing an oven mitt on the hand that’s stirring in the cream.) Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl. Stir in the vanilla and let cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Refrigerate, uncovered, for several hours to thicken.
  
• WHISK BEFORE USING
  or transferring to an airtight jar for longer storage. It will keep refrigerated for at least 1 week.
  

•
Warming the cream separately helps to keep the caramel from shocking into a hard mass when you add it. Be sure to add it quickly because you need to stop the cooking process as soon as the caramel turns the color you want. Otherwise, it’ll keep cooking, and it can go from perfect to burnt in just a few seconds. If you ever find yourself making caramel and not adding any butter and cream to it, keep a bowl of ice water nearby. Dip the bottom of the pot in the water as soon as the caramel is ready to stop the cooking process.

•
Be sure the pot is heavy bottomed to promote even cooking, deep enough to hold the caramel when it bubbles up, and light colored (such as stainless steel) so you can see the color of the caramel as it’s cooking. When mixing in the cream, use heat-proof utensils such as a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.

•
To ensure that the sugar does not crystallize, you can add a very small amount of fresh lemon juice (from
¹
/
₂
lemon) to the sugar mixture before putting it on the heat.

This is hands-down the best lemon curd
and
a serious workhorse. Use it to top cupcakes, scones, or cheesecake; spoon it over shortcakes; or fold it into vanilla ice cream and sandwich between gingersnap cookies. It’s creamy, dreamy, lemony goodness.
MAKES 2 CUPS

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
  
• ¹
  /
  ₈
  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
  

• IN A MEDIUM STAINLESS-STEEL SAUCEPAN
  (don’t use aluminum, copper, or cast iron, or it will react with the acidic lemon juice and impart a metallic taste), combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and butter. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a stainless steel bowl.
  
• MAKE AN ICE BATH
  in a larger bowl and lower the bowl of lemon curd into the bath to stop the cooking process. When the curd has cooled a bit, place plastic wrap directly on the surface to keep it from forming a skin. To help speed up the cooling and thickening process, place the curd—ice bath and all—in the refrigerator.
  
• ONCE THE CURD
  has completely cooled and thickened, transfer it to an airtight container (or a mason jar, if you want to give some as a gift) and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  

VARIATION:

•
THE COOL THING ABOUT THIS RECIPE
is that you don’t have to use lemon—you can use whatever potent juice you like. Every once in a while I like to change things up and make The Passion of the Curd (with
³
/
₄
to 1 cup passion fruit purée), Orange Curd, or Lemorange Curd (half lemon and half orange juice).

•
I know most lemon curd recipes call for a double boiler, but I never make it that way. As long as you whisk constantly and keep the heat moderate, it won’t curdle. I like to have a small spoon nearby to dip into the curd while it’s cooking and check the texture. If it’s running off the spoon I know it needs more time.

If this recipe ends up making more than you need, you could cut it in half, but then you wouldn’t have any left over to smear on your toast with jam, or on biscuits or on graham crackers, or to just lick off a spoon. If you ask me, extra frosting is never a bad thing.
MAKES 2
¹
/
₂
CUPS

• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened (I prefer Philadelphia; see tip)
  
• ³
  /
  ₄
  cup (1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  
• ¹
  /
  ₄
  teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste (optional)
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, plus more to taste (optional) (or make it fancy with seeds from
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  vanilla bean)
  

• IN THE BOWL OF A STAND MIXER
  fitted with a paddle attachment or in a medium bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Taste and add more salt or vanilla (if desired).
  

VARIATIONS:

•
ADD
3 to 4 tablespoons grade B maple syrup along with the vanilla.

•
ADD
about
¹
/
₂
to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or
¹
/
₄
to
¹
/
₂
teaspoon ground cardamom, plus more if desired. Just start small and taste before adding more.

•
This is frosting, not diet food; so don’t go reaching for low-fat cream cheese. Full fat = full flavor. That being said, you don’t want to use fancy cream cheese for this. There’s something about Philly that makes it just the right texture, flavor, and moistness for baking. Be sure the cheese is softened before using, or else you’ll get lumps that are a pain in the butt to beat out. But don’t go too far; if the butter and cream cheese are too soft, your frosting will be runny.