• To avoid a metallic aftertaste in your lemon curd, it’s best to minimize contact with metal. This means using a glass or ceramic bowl, a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, and a non-metal saucepan with a ceramic coating instead of metal tools. Start by adding the sugar and lemon zest to a bowl and rub the zest into the sugar using your fingertips. This helps release more essential oils from the zest, enhancing the fragrance of your curd. Next, add the egg yolks and salt to the lemon-sugar mixture and whisk them until slightly fluffy and paler in color. You can do this by hand using a silicone whisk, rubber spatula, or wooden spoon—no need for an electric mixer. In a saucepan, cook the lemon juice over medium-high heat until it just begins to boil. Slowly drizzle the hot lemon juice into the egg yolk-sugar mixture, stirring constantly to temper the eggs. This reduces the risk of curdling when you cook the curd. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon or spatula, about 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to let the curd boil, as this can cause it to separate. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in the butter until fully melted. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove the zest for a smooth, creamy texture (though you can skip this step if you prefer the zest texture). If possible, use a plastic or silicone sieve to avoid any metallic aftertaste. Transfer the curd into a bowl or heatproof container, cover with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming, and let it cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate the curd for up to two days.

Lemon Cookie Dough:

• Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar. This helps release the essential oils, making your cookies extra aromatic. Add the melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla to the bowl, and whisk well until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until you get a smooth, batter-like dough. At this stage, the dough will be very soft, sticky, and loose, almost like a batter—this is exactly how it should be, so avoid adding extra flour. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least two hours to firm it up. You can also refrigerate it overnight if you plan to bake the cookies the next day. Chilling ensures the cookies won’t spread too much while baking.

Assembling & Baking the Cookies:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don’t have two baking sheets, simply reuse the same one, making sure it’s completely cooled before adding the next batch of cookies. Scoop out a portion of cookie dough using a 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop, then drop it into a bowl of powdered/icing sugar. Roll the dough around until it’s evenly coated, which makes it easier to handle and roll into a ball. Repeat with the rest of the dough, making about 16 cookies in total. Place the sugar-coated dough balls onto the lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between them—about 8 per sheet, as the cookies will spread. Using a ½-tablespoon measuring spoon, make an indent in the center of each dough ball (don’t press all the way through). Fill each indent with about 1 generous teaspoon of lemon curd. Bake one sheet at a time at 350ºF (180ºC) for 9-12 minutes, or until the cookies are spread and cracked around the edges, and the lemon curd is slightly puffed but not bubbling. This ensures the curd stays smooth and creamy. While the first batch bakes, keep the second batch in the fridge. The cookies will be soft and delicate right out of the oven, so let them cool on the sheet for about 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. These lemon curd cookies are delicious warm, but they’re best when chilled from the fridge.