- Pared strip of lemon peel, 3 inches long
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 cup Lucerne Half-and-Half
- 2 Lucerne Large eggs, yolks only
- 1 1/2 cups Lucerne Sour Cream
- Thin strands lemon peel
- In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart pan, use a heavy spoon to rub the pared strip of lemon peel with sugar to release peel oils (don't mash the peel). Stir in the gelatin, then add 1/2 cup water.
- Slit vanilla bean lengthwise but do not cut apart (if using extract, save for Step 4). Add to pan. Heat, stirring, until mixture simmers and is clear.
- Beat half-and-half with egg yolks to blend, and stir into pan. Stir on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and lift out lemon peel and vanilla bean. Discard peel. Scrape seeds from vanilla pod and return seeds to pan (or add vanilla extract).
- Whisk cooked mixture into sour cream, then return to pan. Nest pan in ice water and stir often until mixture just begins to thicken, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Pour into straight-sided 1/2-cup molds (use metal if unmolding). Cover and chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
- Serve from molds or, to unmold, quickly dip pans, one at a time, to the rim in very hot water just until dessert loosens slightly at rim. Dry mold, then invert onto serving plate (you may need to slip a thin knife between dessert and pan to release suction). Garnish portions with thin strands of lemon peel.