IIndividual Lemon Pudding Cakes — looking forward to spring

A few warm days amidst the frigid cold and snowstorms in Kansas has made me start thinking about spring foods . . . like Lemon Pudding Cake. These individual desserts gave us a  glimpse of spring before another blast of winter cold again hits this region.

Individual Lemon Pudding Cakes     Makes 8 individual cups



These portion-controlled little cakes are light and airy – a great way to end a meal.

           

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼  teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated – make sure there is not even a trace of yolk in with the whites and that the whites are placed in a clean, grease-free bowl

1 cup granulated sugar – divided use

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

1 ⅓ cups milk

1.  Preheat an oven to 350°.

2.  Place eight ½-cup ramekins in a large baking dish; spray inside of each with ron-stick spray.

In addition to preparing ramekins, I pre-measured most of the ingredients. Egg yolks are in one mixing bowl while the white are in another. Eggs separate best when cold but whip up to higher volumes is allowed to cold to room temperature.

3.  In a small bowl, stir together the flour and salt.

4.  In a separate nonreactive* bowl using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes.

5.  Stir in the flour mixture and beat until very thick, 2 minutes more.

6.  Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and milk. The mixture will be thin at this point.



7.  Using a clean electric mixer on high speed, whip the egg whites until foamy. Mixing bowl and beaters must be clean or egg white will not whip properly.

8.  Sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup sugar and whip until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Do NOT overbeat – whites should NOT form stiff peaks; they should appear moist and satiny and not grainy

9.  Using a silicone spatula, stir one-fourth of the egg whites into the lemon mixture. Gently fold in the rest just until no streaks of egg white are visible.

10. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins. A half cup measure works well for portioning the mixture.


11. Carefully pour hot water in the large baking dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. 



12. Place in center of preheated oven and bake until the centers are firm to the touch and the edges pull away slightly from the sides of the ramekins, 35 to 40 minutes or until they are puffy and golden brown.

13. Remove from the oven but leave the ramekins in the water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. The pudding cakes will loose some of their poof!

14. Serve the pudding cakes warm or at room temperature straight from the ramekins. Pudding cakes may be served warm or can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Lemon Pudding Cake topped with whipped cream, a lemon slice and a sprinkling of whipped cream.

Recipe without photos . . .

Individual Lemon Pudding Cakes     Makes 8 individual cups



These portion-controlled little cakes are light and airy – a great way to end a meal.

           

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼  teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated – make sure there is not even a trace of yolk in with the whites and that the whites are placed in a clean, grease-free bowl

1 cup granulated sugar – divided use

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

1 ⅓ cups milk

1.  Preheat an oven to 350°.

2.  Place eight ½-cup ramekins in a large baking dish; spray inside of each with ron-stick spray.

3.  In a small bowl, stir together the flour and salt.

4.  In a separate nonreactive* bowl using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes.

5.  Stir in the flour mixture and beat until very thick, 2 minutes more.

6.  Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and milk. The mixture will be quite liquid at this point.



7.  Using a clean electric mixer on high speed, whip the egg whites until foamy. Mixing bowl and beaters must be clean or egg white will not whip properly.

8.  Sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup sugar and whip until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Do NOT overbeat – whites should NOT form stiff peaks; they should appear moist and satiny and not grainy

9.  Using a silicone spatula, stir one-fourth of the egg whites into the lemon mixture. Gently fold in the rest just until no streaks of egg white are visible.

10. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins. A half cup measure works well for portioning the mixture.


11.  Carefully pour hot water in the large baking dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. 



12.  Place in center of preheated oven and bake until the centers are firm to the touch and the edges pull away slightly from the sides of the ramekins, 35 to 40 minutes or until they are puffy and golden brown.

13.  Remove from the oven but leave the ramekins in the water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. The pudding cakes will loose some of their poof!

14.  Serve the pudding cakes warm or at room temperature straight from the ramekins. Pudding cakes may be served warm or can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.