LEMON PUDDING - STEAMED

By akselden

Ingredients

• Zest of 2 lemons
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1/2 C. confectioners' sugar
• 1 small lemon, sliced into rounds
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus some for greasing mold
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• Whipping cream, optional

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Grease a 6 C. pudding mold or ceramic ovenproof bowl with butter.

2. Make a sauce by combining the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes.

3. Arrange lemon slices around the bottom of the mold, overlapping slightly, and cover with sauce.

4. Place a folded dish towel in the bottom of a deep pan with a tightly fitting lid. Fill the pan with water -enough to reach halfway up the side of the mold once it's sealed. Bring to a gentle boil.

5. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs. Sift in flour and baking powder and fold together with the lemon zest.

6. Transfer mixture to the mold, and seal the lid. Set pudding mold bottom down in the pan of boiling water. (If using a bowl, grease a sheet of parchment paper, fold a pleat in the middle and lay it over the bowl. Then cover with aluminum foil. Tie securely under the lip of the bowl with twine.) Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, adding boiling water if necessary.

7. Unmold onto a warmed plate for serving. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Serves 4.

Steamed Honey Apple Pudding
Substitute a small, cored and sliced apple for the sliced lemon and use 1/4 cup honey instead of the lemon sauce. Omit the lemon zest but add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon along with the flour. Steam as above.

Steamed Mocha Pudding
Make a sauce with 1 cup strong coffee and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then simmer until reduced by two-thirds, about 30 minutes. Stir in 1/2 ounce chopped bittersweet chocolate. Pour into the bottom of the mold. Make the pudding mixture as above, adding 5 tablespoons cocoa with the flour and substituting 1 teaspoon of vanilla for the lemon zest.