1 July 2008
Nothing speaks of a slow weekend like an old fashioned pud. Take the time to zest lemons, to whisk eggs, to tell everybody in the house that today’s the day that you’re making lemon delicious. And watch how slowly time seems to pass until the pudding is ready.
Lemon Delicious
(serves 2-6, depending on sweet tooths)
This is adapted from a recipe given to me by Pat O'Donnell, who also cooks the world’s best golden syrup dumplings. I’ve published that recipe so many times that it may be going to her head.
50g butter, softened
130g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
4 tbsp plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
grated zest and juice of 4 lemons
500 ml (2 cups) milk
4 eggs, separated
Cooking time: about 1 hour total
Beat the butter and sugar and fold in the flour and salt. Fold in the lemon zest and juice and stir the milk through. (The mixture should be quite runny.) Fold through the egg yolks.
Whip the egg whites to snow (I love that old-fashioned term). Fold in 1/4 of the egg white to lighten the lemon mix, then fold in the remainder.
Pour into a greased casserole dish, and place the dish in a tray with hot water 2/3 of the way up the pudding's sides (this is more than for most recipes).
Bake at 180°C for about 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden. Allow to cool for half an hour before serving (it will sag as though it's disconsolate, but that's perfectly normal, and it's really quite a cheery dish).
Serve with loads of vanilla ice-cream.