Lemon Sponge Puddings

There is a path by our old house that lingers near a home with a lemon tree in the back yard. What is so special about this tree is the fruit that grows on it. The lemons are the size of oranges and harbor a robust scent unequal to the puny lemons often found in the grocery store. I love the smell of lemons and I enjoy tasting them as much as I love smelling them. The perfect lemon has just a hint of sweetness entangled with sour lip-puckering goodness. Mmmm, so yummy.

Lemon Sponge Pudding is a clean variant of the ever popular lava cake. On the bottom of every cup is a layer of gooey lemony pudding sauce that is spooned over the top of the sponge cake when inverted onto a plate. Try to find the best lemons if possible, preferably without wax. So beg the neighbor with the lemon tree if you do not have a farmers market nearby.

Source: Martha Stewart
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pot de creme pots
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter seven 4 1/2-ounce pots de creme pots, or six 6-ounce ramekins; set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together butter, granulated sugar and salt. Stir in yolks. Add flour, milk, and lemon juice and zest; mix until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into butter mixture.

Ladle batter into prepared pots de creme pots. Transfer pots to a roasting pan or baking sheet. Pour boiling water around pots to come halfway up the sides. Bake until puddings are firm to the touch very lightly golden, about 20 minutes (25 minutes for ramekins). Remove from roasting pan; let cool slightly. Serve immediately or cover cooled ramekins and refrigerate up to 2 days.

To serve: Run a knife along edges of ramekins, then invert puddings onto serving plates. Spoon any of the mixture clinging to the ramekins over top. Garnish with raspberries.