With the dark evenings and distinctly cooler weather, you’ve got the perfect excuse to get stuck into a warm, comforting pudding.  This simple lemon pudding is a welcome treat especially if you enjoy the clean sharp taste of tangy lemon.

What makes this pudding outstand is that it’s self saucing. By that I mean the batter separates during baking – break through the light, airy sponge topping and discover a pool of delicious tangy lemon sauce underneath. (this chemical reaction occurs due to the high ratio of milk to the eggs and flour). Delicious hot or cold.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40-50 minutes
Effort Level: easy
Shelf Life: eat within 3 days
Ingredients:
200g caster sugar
250ml milk
50g butter
50g plain flour
3 large lemons
3 medium eggs
Icing sugar (optional)

Equipment:
Electric mixer or processor
Chopping board & sharp knife
Lemon squeezer
Microplane or fine grater
Ovenproof dish (approx 25cm x 15cm)
Roasting tin
Medium size mixing bowl
Spatula
Sieve

Here’s What You Do:
Preheat the oven to 180º/Gas 4 or 160ºC for fan assisted ovens.

Lightly grease the oven proof dish with butter. Fill and boil the kettle.

Whizz 50g butter with 200g sugar together until well mixed, don’t worry the mixture will be crumbly at this stage.

Now add the grated zest from 2 of the lemons plus 3 egg yolks and beat again (tip the separated whites into the other mixing bowl).

Next squeeze the juice from all three lemons (you need 100ml for this recipe) and pour onto the mix and beat again.

Now add 50g sifted flour and beat until combined, lastly pour in 250ml milk and mix well until you have a smooth runny batter. Don’t worry that it looks really wet, it’s meant to.

Whisk the egg whites until they’re firm, but not stiff and fold the two mixtures together. The end result will have the consistency of a soft sloppy soufflé.

Now pour the whole lot into the prepared ovenproof dish and sit the dish inside the roasting tin.

Pour the boiled water into the roasting tin to come half way up the sides of the ovenproof dish then carefully slide the tin onto the middle oven shelf.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until the top has set and is a deep golden colour. Remove from the oven and dust with icing sugar if using and serve with or without cream.