No-Bake Lemon Custards with Strawberries

🥘 Ingredients

• black pepper (freshly ground, for serving)
• cream (heavy)
  2 cups
• lemon juice (fresh, from 2 to 3 lemons)
  1/3 cup
• lemon zest (finely grated, from 1 to 2 lemons)
  2 teaspoons
• salt (pinch of fine sea)
• strawberries (sliced)
  1 cup
• sugar (granulated, for the custards, granulated, for the strawberry topping)
  2/3 cup, 1-2 teaspoons

🍳 Cookware

• saucepan
• bowl

1. 1

   In a medium saucepan , combine cream , sugar , lemon zest and salt over medium-high heat. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar . Simmer vigorously until mixture thickens slightly, about ⏱️ 4-5 minutes .

   cream: 2 cups (heavy), sugar: 2/3 cup (granulated, for the custards), lemon zest: 2 teaspoons (finely grated, from 1 to 2 lemons), salt (pinch of fine sea), sugar: 1-2 teaspoons (granulated, for the strawberry topping)
2. 2

   Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice . Let sit until mixture has cooled slightly and a skin forms on top, about ⏱️ 20 minutes .

   lemon juice: 1/3 cup (fresh, from 2 to 3 lemons)
3. 3

   Stir mixture, then strain through fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup with a spout; discard zest. Pour mixture evenly into six 6-ounce ramekins or small bowls.
4. 4

   Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least ⏱️ 3 hours .
5. 5

   As the custards chill, prepare the strawberry topping: Toss strawberries and sugar in a small mixing bowl . Let fruit macerate at room temperature for ⏱️ 30 minutes to ⏱️ 1 hour , until the sugar is dissolved.

   strawberries: 1 cup (sliced)
6. 6

   To serve, top each lemon custard with some strawberry topping and grind black pepper on top.

   black pepper (freshly ground, for serving)