I wanted to make a simple dessert for the weekend, plus I had a lemon which needed using up so I did a search of my cookbooks for a recipe to make. I have several Mary Berry cookbooks. This recipe I am sharing with you today comes from her book entitled Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook.
I have vowed to use my cookbooks more often. Why have them if I am always picking out recipes online to cook. There is something lovely about holding a real book in the hands. Mary's recipes are always fail-proof. They work. You can depend on them.
I first discovered her when I first went over to the U.K. I watched her on the Telly and liked her. One of the first cookery books I bought over there was her cake cookbook. It was one of the few books that I chose to bring back to Canada with me when I returned.
This recipe I am sharing with you today is for a simple and delicious lemon pudding. Mary called it Magic Lemon Pudding. I have also heard it called Lemon Pudding Cake and Lemon Delicious.
Magic because during baking the batter separates to form a pudding with a lemon sponge topping and a distinct lemon custard base.
This is a small batch recipe. I cut it in half from the original, but I have included the full measurements of the ingredients, timings, etc. in the printable recipe so that if you want to make a full batch you can certainly do so.
Simple ingredients. Simple methods. An excellent dessert. I would expect nothing less.
Just a few simple ingredients. Use the best that you can find, and you will be rewarded with a really delicious pudding! These are the amounts for a small batch. I have included the amounts for a full batch in parentheses on the printable recipe.
- 1oz (2 TBS/28g) butter, at room temperature
- the finely grated zest of 1/2 large lemon
- 1/4 cup (45g) caster sugar
- 1 large egg, separated
- 2 TBS (15g) plain all-purpose flour
- 3 fluid ounces (83ml) whole milk
- icing sugar to dust (optional)
I used salted butter. Mary did not specify either way. All of my ingredients were at room temperature. Butter, eggs, milk. Room temperature egg whites beat up lighter and fuller.
Caster sugar is a finely granulated sugar. You can use either fine/fruit sugar, or you can whiz a bit of regular sugar in a food processor to make it a bit finer.
Mary also did not specify the type of milk. I used whole milk because that is the only kind of milk I keep in my house.
If I was in the U.K. I would use an unwaxed lemon. You never see those here. In either case, scrub your lemon well to remove any insect dirt or debris before beginning and dry it off.
This is really quite simple. You can't go wrong if you follow the directions exactly. Mary's recipes are pretty fool-proof. I always trust them implicitly.
Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Butter a 1/2 pint (1 1/4 cup) baking dish. [1 pint/2 1/2 cup] (I used a small enamel pie dish, 7 inches in diameter.)
Cream the butter, lemon zest and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk (s), flour. and lemon juice.
Whisk the milk slowly into the creamed mixture until thoroughly combined. (It may look a bit curdled, but don't worry, that will rectify itself when you fold in the egg white.)
Whisk the egg white (s) until stiff but not dry. Carefully fold this into the batter, taking care not to knock out the air if possible. Pour into the prepared dish.
Place the dish into a roasting tin large enough to hold it and then fill the roasting tin with hot water until it comes halfway up the edge of the baking dish. (This is called a Bain Marie, and is what helps to keep the dessert soft, rich and unctuous.)
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes [40 minutes] until the sponge feels springy and is a light golden brown.
Dust with icing sugar and serve warm, spooned out into bowls. You could drizzle this with a bit of double cream, which would be nice.
A nice dollop of whipped cream would also be very nice on top! But to be honest, it is also very nice just as is.
This was an incredibly simple, easy to make, delicious dessert. I would expect nothing less from Mary Berry! I have given the measurement for both the small batch and the full batch ( full batch in [...] ) so any one can make it, no matter the size of the family.
If you are looking for a simple, easy to make, lush and delicious lemon dessert, you really cannot go wrong with this one! Its fabulous!
Are lemon desserts your favorite thing? I know they are one of mine. If so you might also enjoy the following desserts!
BUTTERMILK LEMON PUDDINGS- One of my favorite lemon desserts has always been Buttermilk Lemon Puddings. This is a dessert I used to make fairly often when entertaining at the Manor down south. I think lemon is a common love of ladies. These are very simple to make. The recipe serves two people generously, but can easily be multiplied to serve more
FROZEN LEMON SOUFFLE - These were incredibly popular single serving sized desserts when I worked at the Manor. For luncheons or for dinner parties, always well received. I loved making them because not only were they simple and easy to make, but you could make them well ahead of time, simply taking them out of the freezer about 15 minutes before I was ready to serve them. Garnished with a tiny bit of frozen fruit, they always went down well with the guests. This is the perfect dinner party dessert. Light and lush. You can make either as a large one or as smaller individual ones.
Mary Berry's Magic Lemon Pudding
Prep time: 15 Min Cook time: 30 Min Total time: 45 Min
This is a lovely dessert that separates like magic to form a sponge topping with a tangy lemon custard underneath. Serve warm as is or with a dollop of whipped cream. Recipe is for two servings, but measurements for four are in the [here] sections of the ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1oz (2 TBS/28g) butter [2 ounces (4TBS/56g] (at room temperature)
- the finely grated zest of 1/2 large lemon [1 large lemon]
- 1/4 cup (45g) caster sugar [1/2 cup/90g]
- 1 large egg, separated [2 large eggs, separated](room temperture)
- 2 TBS (15g) plain all-purpose flour [4 TBS/30g]
- 3 fluid ounces (83ml) whole milk [6 fluid ounces/175ml]
- icing sugar to dust (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Butter a 1/2 pint (1 1/4 cup) baking dish. [1 pint/2 1/2 cup] (I used a small enamel pie dish, 7 inches in diameter.)
- Cream the butter, lemon zest and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk (s), flour. and lemon juice.
- Whisk the milk slowly into the creamed mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Whisk the egg white (s) until stiff but not dry. Carefully fold this into the batter, taking care not to knock out the air if possible. Pour into the prepared dish.
- Place the dish into a roasting tin large enough to hold it and then fill the roasting tin with hot water until it comes halfway up the edge of the baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes [40 minutes] until the sponge feels springy and is a light golden brown.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve warm, spooned out into bowls.
Did you make this recipe?
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