Simple lemon pudding
An traditional, easy-to-make, baked lemon surprise pudding: scoop though the springy sponge top and you get to a rich and luscious lemon curd sauce. Light and bright tasting, this is good on its own or with fresh summer berries.
Cook's notes
The sauce will thicken on standing.
Ingredients
- 180g unsalted butter, cubed and softened
- 270g caster sugar
- grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
- 6 eggs, whites separated from yolks
- 120g self-raising flour
- 500ml milk
- icing sugar, for dusting
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 160°C/Gas 3.
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Step 2
Use a piece of butter to grease a shallow heatproof baking dish that will just hold 2 litres of liquid.
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Step 3
Beat the rest of the softened butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy (your butter must be really soft).
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Step 4
Add the lemon zest and gently beat in the egg yolks one by one, then mix in the flour and lemon juice. Gradually stir in the milk. Don't worry if it looks curdled.
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Step 5
Whisk the eggs whites until light and fluffy and forming soft peaks. Mix a large spoonful of the whites into the mixture, then gently fold in the rest, keeping the air bubbles. The mixture will be sloppy.
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Step 6
Pour into the baking dish and put in a roasting tin large enough to hold it. Pour in just enough hot water to come about two thirds of the way up the dish.
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Step 7
Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top is springy and starting to turn golden. The mixture will have separated to form a spongy top with a lemon curd sauce on the bottom. Remove from the oven and lift the baking dish out of the water.
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Step 8
Leave for 5 minutes, then dust with sifted icing sugar to serve. Best served warm but can be served cold.