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| Pin It Sometimes we comeupon a new recipe by chance. That is what happened to me with this Lemon SpongePudding recipe. I found thisrecipe when I was browsing through my mother's oldcookbooks. There was one cookbook, called "The Family Cook Book" written by theCulinary Arts Institute in 1943, that encouraged people to cook an entire dinnermenu (appetizer, entree, and dessert) in the oven at the same time. While theconcept of cooking several dishes in the oven at once may seem odd today, if welook back to 1943, which was a time of food shortages, rationing, andconservation of fuel, it was a wonderful idea. What is so unique about this Lemon Sponge Pudding is whathappens as it bakes - the batter separates into two layers.The top layer becomes a light and airy sponge cake, yet underneath is adeliciously tangy lemon sauce.This separation takes place because of the high proportion of liquid (milk) to the flour and eggs. A Lemon SpongePudding is popularin many countries, where it can be known as a Lemon SurprisePudding, Lemon Pudding Cake, Self-Saucing Lemon Pudding, Lemon Souffle Pudding, or a Lemon Delicious Pudding. For this recipe, we are making individual Lemon Sponge Puddings. You will need six - 1 cup (240 ml) oven proof baking cups or ramekins. (Ramekins are a lot like a small souffle dish with their rimmed tops and straight sides that are smooth on the inside.They can be made of porcelain, earthenware, or stoneware.) The puddings are baked in a water bath as this provides a moist and indirect, constant heat so the puddings bake gently and slowly. This ensures moist and tender puddings, not ones that are tough and rubbery.To make a water bath, first place the ramekins in a larger baking pan (or any size pan that will fit the ramekins and leave about 1 inch (2.54 cm) around the edges) and then carefully pour in enough hot water so that the water comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.Immediately after baking, carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath to stop further baking. You can serve this pudding warm from the ovenor at room temperature. Ioften dust the tops of the puddings with confectioners (icing or powdered) sugarand garnish with a dollop of softly whipped cream and fresh fruit. It is always fun to see your guests' surprise when they dip their spoons into the pudding and find notonly cake on their spoons but also a yummy lemon sauce. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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