This super easy Lemon Self Saucing Pudding is just perfect for Spring. Light lemon sponge atop a zesty lemon sauce. Served warm or cold, it’s pure bliss in every bite!
Happy March everyone! I can’t believe we are already into the third month of 2021! We are kicking the Spring recipes off this week with this Lemon Self Saucing Pudding (or Lemon Surprise Pudding).
This recipe is simple to make, yet the result is the most delicious, flavour filled pudding. I am obsessed with lemon desserts this time of year and this Lemon Self Saucing Pudding is no different!
The sponge is so light and soft and the sauce tart, but sweet. The magic in this dessert happens in the oven, it separates into two layers; soufflé like sponge and a lemon curd like sauce. Pure heaven!
This Lemon Self Saucing Pudding does take a while in the oven and it’s cooked in a bain-marie. This means that the baking dish is placed inside a larger pan and surrounded by hot water during baking. This ensures a gentle, even bake for your pudding.
Don’t be put off by the fancy name, it’s a very simple process and this pudding is still easy to make.
There are only a few common ingredients involved and the actual process of making the batter is easy too, so don’t be scared!
LET’S TALK THROUGH HOW TO MAKE THIS LEMON SELF SAUCING PUDDING…
To begin with you need to separate your eggs. You will be using both parts of the egg, but they’ll be added at different stages.
The butter, sugar and lemon zest needs to be creamed together as you would for a cake. The egg yolks are then added one by one until everything is well combined and smooth.
Milk, lemon juice and flour are the next ingredients, added gradually and mixed thoroughly.
The final stage batter wise is using those egg whites you separated. Whisk them until stiff peak, fold them into your lemon batter gently and transfer to a greased baking dish.
At this stage, I place my baking dish inside a larger baking dish/roasting tin and place enough boiling water in to come half way up.
Place in the oven for 40-50 minutes and you’ll have the most insanely delicious lemon sponge with a curd like sauce underneath. This Lemon Self Saucing Pudding is best served warm from the oven, but you can also keep it covered in the fridge and reheat it. The sauce will absorb slightly the longer you leave it, but it will still taste great!
I cannot WAIT to share more lemon desserts with you over the coming weeks. I love when the days get longer, the sun shines and desserts become lighter and full of citrus.
Like this recipe? You may enjoy these too!
- Baked Chocolate Pudding for Two
- White Chocolate and Lemon Pots de Creme
- Lemon Curd Mousse
- Strawberry Lemon Layer Cake
Lemon Self Saucing Pudding (Lemon Surprise Pudding)
Ingredients
- 3 large lemons, zest and juice
- 3/4 stick (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature. I used Vegan butter
- 1 cup (200g) caster sugar
- 3 large eggs,
- 1/2 cup (70g) plain flour
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, or non dairy equivalent, I used Oatly Barista
- Icing sugar and/or ice cream to serve, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and spray a 9inch round pan. You can also use an 8×8 inch square pan, 9×11 inch etc. I just had a 9inch round to hand. Cooking time may differ between pans.
- Place your greased pan into a larger roasting pan or dish. Big enough that there's room for water around the outside of the baking pan with the pudding in.
- Fill the kettle and boil it while you make the pudding.
- Zest the lemons into a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer and squeeze the juice into a jug. Leave the juice to one side.
- Add the butter and sugar to the large bowl with the zest and beat until light and fluffy, around 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Next separate the eggs, I have an egg separator which you place over a mug and it catches the yolk while the white goes through – life saver! Separate the eggs so you have the egg yolks in with the butter and sugar and the whites in a clean, metal bowl. Leave the whites to one side.
- After adding the egg yolks, mix the lemon and butter mixture until the yolks are well combined and everything is smooth. It may curdle slightly at this stage, this is fine.
- Measure the flour and milk out. The next stage requires you to add gradually. I placed the milk in a jug and flour in a small bowl.
- Leave the yolk mixture while you whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer on high speed. Whisk the egg white until they just reach stiff peak. When you pull the beater out, a peak should rise and the tip should bend over. Leave to one side.
- Turn the mixer on and add 2tbsp flour, a third of the lemon juice and a good glug of the milk. Mix until combined, add the next third of lemon juice, a little more flour and milk. Repeat until all of the milk, lemon juice and flour is added.
- Continue to mix for around 30 seconds on medium speed until everything is smooth and combined. The mixture will be runny, this is fine.
- Now it's time to add those egg whites. Using a metal spoon, spoon a little egg white into the lemon mixture, gently fold until it's all combined, then add the next batch of egg whites and repeat until all the egg whites are combined. I use a figure of eight motion to fold my egg whites in. The mixture should have paled in colour, become slightly frothy and airy.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Now, pour the recently boiled kettle into the roasting pan that your baking pan is in. Fill until the water comes half way up the pan with your Lemon Pudding in.
- Now place in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until the top is golden and risen (mine took 40 mins). It should spring back to the touch. An inserted skewer should come out with no crumbs, just a little curd like sauce.
- Once it's cooled down for at least 15 minutes, remove from the water bath. This may be a two person job! We used a jug to get rid of some of the water, so that we could grab the baking dish and place it on a tea towel to absorb the water. Then my husband grabbed the handle and I supported it from underneath!
- Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve. Lemon Self Saucing Pudding is best served warm from the oven, but you can cover it and keep in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave to serve. The sauce will be absorbed by the sponge slightly the longer you leave it.
- Serve with custard, double cream or ice cream… or on its own!
