A simple, timeless recipe for steamed lemon pudding. Perfect for summer or winter, pair the zesty pudding with ice-cream, berries or custard.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 125 g (4 oz) soft butter
- 125 g (4 oz) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
- 200 g (7 oz) self-raising flour, sifted
- Zest and juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- 1/4 cup apricot jam or marmalade
- Special equipment: 1 liter pudding or heatproof Pyrex bowl, baking paper
Preparation:
- In a large bowl cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating before adding the next.
- Fold in the flour, then add lemon zest and juice and fold gently. Butter a 1-litre (1 2/3 pt) pudding or Pyrex bowl and spoon in the pudding mixture. Use the back of a spoon to smooth surface.
- Cover bowl with buttered greaseproof paper and foil. Tightly crimp foil around the edges. Place pudding bowl into a large, heavy-based pot and pour in enough water to come three-quarters of the way up the bowl.
- Bring water to the boil then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Makes sure you check heck the water level and add a little more if needed.
- Carefully remove pudding bowl from the water and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and greaseproof paper and run a small knife around the edge of the pudding.
- Gently unmould onto a serving plate. Use a spoon to top with apricot jam or marmalade and serve immediately.