Hot Lemon & Bay Pudding

This is one of those magical puddings that is spooned into the dish as one unassuming batter and comes out of the oven transformed into a double-textured pudding: a light lemon sponge top and a rich lemony custard at the bottom. One of the best examples I know of kitchen alchemy and one of the easiest puddings. I add bay here, as I love lemon and bay together. The bay brings some grounding depth to the sherbety hit of lemon. This pudding is inspired by one made by JR Ryall of Ballymaloe. You can skip the bay if you like things more classic, though. I’ve not found a good way to make this without eggs, so there are no vegan switches here.

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Instructions

1.	CREAM THE BUTTER & SUGAR:
2.	You will need approximately a 1.2-litre pie dish, lightly greased with softened butter.
3.	Preheat the oven to 180°C/I60°C fan.
4.	Put 25g of unsalted butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and turn the mixer on low.
5.	Gradually add 225g caster sugar. As there is not much butter it won’t go creamy and fluffy but will remain sandy.
6.	SEPARATE THE EGGS:
7.	Carefully separate 3 large free-range or organic eggs and put the yolks into one bowl and the egg whites into another very clean bowl (a spotless bowl will help to get the best lift out of your egg whites when you whip them).
8.	ADD THE YOLKS TO THE BATTER:
9.	Add the egg yolks to the sugar mixture, then mix in 30g plain flour.
10.	Then add the zest and juice of 3 unwaxed lemons followed by 250ml milk.
11.	WHISK THE EGG WHITES:
12.	Using a hand-held electric whisk or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks (when the bowl is held upside-down the whites should stay put in the bowl).
13.	FOLD IN THE WHITES:
14.	Use a metal spoon or spatula to carefully fold the egg whites into the batter.
15.	Be gentle to keep as much lightness from the egg whites as possible.
16.	Trust the process here; it will seem too liquidy and split but it will come together in the oven.
17.	BAKE:
18.	Put one fresh bay leaf into the bottom of the dish, then pour in the batter and bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden and set.
19.	Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. It’s also good cold from the fridge the next day.