Meyer Lemon Pudding

This is my favorite time of year in Fairbanks. Most people don't associate the first day of spring with a long walk on a hard, snow packed mushing trail. That is how I spent my first day of spring. Since moving to Fairbanks I have created a few simple traditions that celebrate the seasons. Each year on the first day of spring I have walked down the road to a little area that gets the full effect of the sun and I search the trees to find the one or two pussy willows that tell me spring is indeed on its way. Each year the first day of spring has been the first time I have seen them for the season. I don't know if I never looked sooner, but this year they were a whole week early. I'm hoping this means that spring is indeed on its way and that David won't be snow blowing the driveway in April this year. That might be too much to ask for though.
This is our fourth spring in Fairbanks. Each one has been marked with some spectacular walks. The sun goes from non-existent to blistering hot in what feels like a couple of days. All of a sudden it's 8:00 p.m. and I haven't started dinner yet because it is still light out. I start realizing how important it is to get outside each night and look at the moon and stars and maybe if I'm lucky catch a glimpse of the northern lights. Very soon they will be gone for months. Very soon our beautiful hard packed trails will be spongy, swampy, mosquito infested tundra. March is the month to do it all.
This is also the time of year when the Meyer Lemon season starts wrapping up. I always try and order an extra box of lemons to juice, zest, and then freeze. It is so hard to freeze them as each box that comes in makes me want something fresh and lemony right away. Scones and Lemon Bars are always the first items on my list to make. Recently, I have been on a pudding kick. Am I the only person who likes to eat pudding warm from the pan? I also have a little problem with eating lemon curd with a spoon. If you are one of those people, then this is the perfect thing. This lemon pudding has all the flavor of lemon curd, but it's pudding, so no guilt eating it straight out of the jar.

Meyer Lemon Pudding
adapted from Tartelette
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons Meyer Lemon zest
3 egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup Meyer Lemon juice

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Slowly add the milk and whisk until incorporated.
Transfer the mixture to a heavy bottomed saucepan placed over medium-high heat, barely bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, stirring constantly. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Slowly add the lemon juice and whisk until combined. If adding lemon juice makes the pudding too thin, return to medium low heat for a couple of minutes to thicken to desired consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool. Divide among ramekins or cups and place a piece of plastic wrap over each portions to prevent a skin from forming (unless you are one of those weirdos that likes pudding skin). Let cool for two hours and serve.

You can find this super cute Pussy Willow Kitchen Towel from Madder Root on Etsy.