This dessert is good, ya’ll. I mean, eat one and then go back for another good. This was the dessert that went with my English-themed dinner in honor of the season premier of Downton Abbey. This dessert is perfect, because it’s pretty easy, but looks super impressive.
Cooking the individual puddings in a water bath makes these have a deliciously spongy texture, and the syrup that you line the ramekins with creates an amazing layer of smooth lemon curd on top of the inverted pudding. Plus, the “treacle sauce” is made like magic during the steaming process and trickles down over the pudding as soon as you invert it on your plate. It has such a light lemon flavor, and paired with fresh berries is so amazing it would even have cheered up Edith after being jilted at the alter.
I found this recipe at cookingchanneltv.com, and stayed pretty true to the recipe, besides changing the lemons to Meyer lemons for something extra special, and using light corn syrup in place of the golden syrup they call for. These can be eaten warm (the preferred method), or cold (my hubby’s preference).
Steamed Meyer Lemon Pudding with Treacle Sauce
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter, at room-temperature, for greasing the ramekins
4 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons fresh Meyer lemon juice (about 3 lemons), plus 2 teaspoons zest
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
Fresh berries, such as blackberries or raspberries, for serving
Special equipment: Six 6-ounce ramekins
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the ramekins with the butter and place in a roasting pan.
Whisk together the corn syrup and 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice in a small bowl, and then divide evenly among the six ramekins.
Whisk together the lemon zest, sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl. Stir in the milk and flour, alternating 3 times (ending with the flour), and then stir in the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks in a separate bowl, and then gently fold the them into the batter using a rubber spatula until just combined.
Pour the batter into the ramekins, filling them up to about 1/4 inch from the top since they will rise quite a bit in the oven. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until about halfway up the sides of the ramekins, making sure not to get any water in the ramekins themselves. Bake until the cakes have puffed up and turn light brown on top, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let the ramekins sit in the water for about 10 minutes before carefully removing them.
Place a small plate on top of a ramekin and turn upside down to release the cake. If the cake does not naturally let go of the ramekin, run a knife along the sides of the it and try again. Garnish with some fresh berries and whipped cream.
