There is a time and place for a pint of ice cream and a spoon. Or for a pile of cookies or box of doughnuts. An Oscars viewing party is neither the time nor the place. This party requires desserts with more panache.

Which is why we created these simple lemon curd cups, an elegant dessert solution to the finer finger food fixings you’ll be serving. You start by making a simple lemon curd, which can be prepped up to a couple of days in advance. Then fill purchased mini phyllo cups with raspberry jam and the curd and top each with fresh berries. Done.

The phyllo cups can be found in the grocer’s freezer section. Buy a few extra boxes and whip up a batch of mini quiches to serve at the same party.

MINI LEMON CURD CUPS

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Yield: 30 cups

1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 eggs 1/3 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed will have the best flavor) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 30 prepared miniature phyllo cups (two 1.9-ounce packages) 5 tablespoons raspberry jam 1 1/2 cups fresh berries of your choice Powdered sugar

Procedure:

In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the eggs and whisk until completely smooth and no trace of egg whites or yolks remains. Whisk in the lemon juice, then set over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Once the mixture comes to a thorough simmer, remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until completely cool.

Once the lemon curd is chilled, assemble the cups. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam into the bottom of each cup. Divide the lemon curd between the cups, then top each with fresh berries. Dust each with a bit of powdered sugar just before serving. Best if assembled within 1 to 2 hours of being served.

Nutrition information per cup: 50 calories; 20 calories from fat (40 percent of total calories); 2 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 20 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 1 g protein.

Champagne bottle and chocolate bar on a white background

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