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for the curd:
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1.heat lemon juice, butter, and zest in a saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. remove pan from heat and set aside.
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2. stir sugar, constarch, and salt together in a bowl. add egg and yolk, whisking until smooth. gradually add warm juice mixture, whisking constantly; pour mixture back into saucepan.
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3. cook over medium heat 5-8 minutes or until curd is thick, bubbly, and begins to turn bright yellow and opaque. stir often with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching--mixture will be thick. to cook starchiness out of the cornstarch and ensure that the curd will be thick enough to pipe, be sure to cook the curd until stiff. off heat, stir in vanilla.
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4. transfer the curd to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. refrigerate until cold, up to 2 days ahead.
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for the cookie:
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1. preheat oven to 350; line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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2. cream butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with mixer until light
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3. add flour and poppy seeds, and blend just until incorporated
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4. pack a tablespoon measure with dough and shape dough into a 1-inch ball, pressing and smoothing to eliminate cracks. arrange balls on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. making a 1/2 inch deep indentation in each cookie using a rounded handle of a wooden spoon. bake 14-16 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack.
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to finish:
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1. fill a piping bag fitted with a small star tip with the cooled curd. pipe a small amount of curd into each indentation in the cookies.
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2. dust with powdered sugar
