Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Little Lemon Puddings


This lemon pudding dessert is the perfect finish to a delicious meal, tangy, lemony, citrussy, light and satisfying. My recipe celebrates the start of the lemon season for us from our backyard. The lemons on our potted lemon tree are now ready to be picked, and this lemon pudding is the perfect way to enjoy them. It's only a small tree with a small crop but growing very well in it's pot, located in full sun next to the bird bath. The lemons are large and very juicy and rather thin skinned. Whilst I adore Lemon Delicious self saucing pudding ,when lots of bush lemons are available, these little puddings are a nice variation using homemade lemon curd for the sauce. I prefer to make my own lemon curd, and as I still have a few jars in the freezer from last year, this recipe came together very simply. My recipe for Microwave Lemon Curd is at this link, (originally the wonderful Lorraine's recipe from 
(Not Quite Nigella) or good quality lemon curd can also be purchased from the stores and will work just as well. Please don't feel pressured to make your own.

Our little potted lemon tree. These precious lemons will be used for special recipes

Before cooking this recipe, ensure the ingredients are at room temperature.  I like to  pop these puddings into the oven at the same time as the main course is being served. They can cook while we are eating.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (140g) home made or good-quality lemon curd

125 g softened unsalted butter, with extra for greasing

125 g caster sugar

125 g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Custard to serve

Method:

Makes 6 puddings

Preheat your oven to 180 deg. C and grease six 1 cup (250ml) ramekins well with melted butter.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of lemon curd into the bottom of each dish. Place the ramekin dishes out of the way on your bench until needed.

Assemble your food processor, and add the butter, sugar, flour and baking powder, eggs and lemon zest and mix until well combined. Add the lemon juice, and give the batter a quick whiz until well mixed.

Divide the mixture between the ramekins, filling each dish to 3/4 full up the sides of each dish. 

Use a knife to gently smooth the tops of the batter.

Place the ramekins on a thick baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

When cooked, remove the whole baking tray from the oven. Carefully take the dishes off the tray,  and  ease the sponge cake away from the edges of each dish using a table or palette knife, or a small spatula.

Select 6 serving dishes, small bowls or plates, and carefully tip each pudding onto the plates. Spoon any remaining lemon curd from the ramekins over the cakes.

Serve immediately with warm custard, or thickened cream.

Cook's tips:

  • I suggest in the recipe to use 1 cup ramekins for baking these puddings. If you are serving a large main meal beforehand, I think you could use 3/4 cup ramekins and your guest would be happy. To be honest, I only have 4 of the 1 cup ramekins, so to test out the sizes, I also used 2 extra 3/4 cup ramekin's and this size was large enough for me to eat. So if you use the smaller 3/4 cup oven proof ramekins, this recipe could be stretched to feed 8 people. Also if you have plenty of lemon curd, add 2 tablespoons instead of two, but one is still delicious.
  • These puddings tip out from the ramekins very easily into the individual serving dishes, so don't worry about that being a problem. Just butter the baking ramekins well. However, the puddings can be topped up with custard or cream in the pots they are baked in, and eaten straight from the ramekins, if you don't have enough small serving dishes, or you want to be very casual. I found that there are rewards to be enjoyed with eating the puddings straight from the baking ramekins, the lemon curd at the base of the pot seems all the more intensely special. The dishes and the puddings will be hot though. 

When I first saw this recipe in a Delicious Australia Magazine, I knew I would have to make it. If you already have some lemon curd on hand, this is the easiest recipe to bring together. All of the cake ingredients are already in a home cook's pantry. If you don't have a food processor, well it could be whizzed up in a normal cake mixer such as a Kitchen Aid.

Up here in tropical Queensland we are still struggling with an unprecedented hot Summer/Autumn, and with no rain despite the promised storms. We are not complaining though, well not too much, when we see what is happening in the Ukraine, in the depths of Winter. Every morning and evening, the world news brings us more distressing news,  however it was quite miraculous to see yesterday on the news that an older lady escaped the Ukraine by various perilous means, and made it safely to Australia to the city we live in, Mackay. She is now reunited with her daughter and Australian family. That was so lovely to see.

I hope you enjoy this recipe my friends, it is a good one, and baking it gave me a lot of pleasure, as did eating it:) We started with six just for the two of us, and there is now one left to be shared, perhaps. Mr. HRK has really enjoyed them.

Warm wishes

Pauline




17 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks Chel, how are you? I'll jump over to your last post shortly and read it fully. The photos looked amazing.

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  2. My mouth is watering! Haven't had a lemon pudding in ages and I am craving one right now :-)

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    1. Thanks Angie, they are certainly very moreish. Hope you can manage to eat one.

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  3. That looks like a delicious pudding. You are lucky to have a lemon tree.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Mae, we love our lemon tree and it is really settling into it's environment now.

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  4. I LOVE lemon. In fact, I might rightly be called a lemon freak. Or maybe just a freak. :-) Anyway, super nice recipe -- thanks.

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    1. Ha, ha Thanks KR, I am always amazed at how good anything with lemon in it tastes. Take care.

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  5. i do love lemon dishes. such a wonderful fruit and i always say lemons would be one of my desert island ingredients. i always have at least one lemon in the crisper. how lovely that the ukrainian woman made it to australia!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Sherry, I couldn't do without lemons either. They are just so versatile.

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  6. Hello, Pauline! Before I forget, thank you for coming over to Marmelade Gypsy and leaving a lovely comment on my book post. I hope you will find "Provence 1970" -- it was a delightful book. ("The Gourmand's Way" is another similar one that is well worth reading!)

    I enjoyed your pudding recipe and am saving it.I'm a huge fan of lemon anything and these look fabulous! All the best, ~ jeanie

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  7. Thanks so much Jeanie. I am looking forward to reading Provence 1970. Thanks so much for the recommendation.

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  8. This looks amazing! Lemon desserts are my absolute favorite, and this is so simple and elegant. I can’t wait to try these, Pauline.

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  9. My comment might’ve disappeared. These look amazing, Pauline! Lemon desserts are my absolute favorite! Because my cocoa drinker, everyone assumes I like chocolate desserts. But Lemon “takes the cake!“ These look really simple and elegant. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks David, your first comment didn't disappear, so both received, thankyou so much. The addition of lemon curd makes these little beauties so delicious.

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  10. I've really been craving citrus flavors lately...I suspect it's the fact that we are slowly emerging from a long, cold winter. I love that you grew your own lemons for these puddings! They look delicious!

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