In a small heavy saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of sugar, cream of tartar, and 1/4 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup, covered, for 1 minute. Remove the lid and boil the syrup, undisturbed, until it begins to turn golden. Continue to boil the syrup, swirling it and tilting the pan, until it is deep golden caramel. Pour the caramel into a 9x5 loaf pan, tilt the pan to coat the bottom and sides, and let it cool.

In a large saucepan, scald the milk with the cream over moderate heat.

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks , and the remaining sugar, until the mixture is light and frothy. Add the scalded milk in a slow stream, stirring constantly, and stir in the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Set the pan in a larger deeper baking pan and strain the custard mixture into the loaf pan. Cover the loaf pan with heavy-duty foil and add enough hot water to the larger pan so that it reaches 2/3 of the way up the outside of the loaf pan.

Bake the custard in the middle of a preheated 325f oven for 80 minutes. Remove the loaf pan from the larger one and remove the foil.

(The custard will not appear set in the middle but it will set as it cools.)

Let the custard cool and then chill it, covered, overnight. Run a thin knife around the edge of the custard, invert a serving plate over it and invert the custard onto the plate.

a 1972 Gourmet Mag. Favorite