How To: Make Glaze’s Lemon Curd

A couple weeks ago, I received a text from Heather Alcott, the owner of Glaze: The Baum Cake Shoppe. She wrote: “You should know that we are announcing the closing of Glaze tonight. I just wanted you to hear it from me first.” I stared at the phone and let out a “Noooooooo!”

Not only does Glaze (which will close Saturday, March 1) make incredible baumkuchen cakes, it’s where my obsession with matcha tea lattes took root. The bakery is also home to other goodies, like the city’s best lemon macaron (a 2013 Top of the Town winner) and the matcha tea-banana smoothie. Although Alcott cites location as the reason for the closure, the Congress Park neighborhood—and Denver as a whole— is mourning that its own, very special, jewel-box of a bakery is days away from shuttering. Stop by while you still can.

As a send-off, I’ve included a Glaze recipe that was planned for our April issue. May pastry chef Amanda Mueller‘s zesty lemon curd (one of the key ingredients in those spectacular lemon macarons) forever remind you of Glaze’s bright, if short-lived, tenure.

Step 1. Place a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the zest of 1 lemon, 3 ¼ ounces of sugar, and 4 ounces of fresh lemon juice. Whisk, and slowly bring the mixture to a light boil. Meanwhile, combine 3 eggs and 3 ¼ ounces of sugar in a separate bowl.

Once the mixture simmers, very slowly add it to the eggs and sugar mixture, whisking the whole time. Once combined, pour it back into the saucepan and bring it to a boil.

Whisk constantly to reach desired consistency. Remove from heat and pour over 6 ounces of cubed butter. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface so it doesn’t form a film, and allow to cool.

Tip: Try swapping orange or lime juice and zest for the lemon. Serve the curd with scones, pancakes, pound cake, or over ice cream.