Lemon Delicious

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 4-6

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter, chopped and softened plus extra for greasing

230g (1 cup) caster sugar

2 tsp lemon zest, plus extra to serve

4 eggs, separated

75g (½ cup) self-raising flour

375ml (1 ½ cups) milk

80ml (⅓ cup) lemon juice (from about 1½ lemons)

boiling water, icing sugar, sifted, for dusting crème fraîche, to serve

This easy dessert is perfect for a relaxed gathering when friends come over. If the oven is being utilised for the main dishes, I love to cook my lemon delicious in the reliable, steady heat of my slow cooker. Just before my guests arrive, I flick the slow cooker to low and let it do all the work so that later in the evening my perfectly cooked pudding will be ready.

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Lightly grease a 1 litre (4 cup) capacity baking dish with butter.

Place the butter, caster sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed using the paddle attachment until pale and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the egg yolks, one by one, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour, milk and lemon juice to form a smooth batter.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Then, with a large metal spoon, gently fold half the egg whites into the batter to lighten the mixture. Fold through the remaining egg whites until just combined.

Gently spoon the mixture into the prepared dish. Place the dish in a large roasting tin. Pour boiling water around the dish into the tin to reach halfway up the side of the dish. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the lemon delicious is golden and just set.

Dust the lemon delicious with the icing sugar and serve with the crème fraîche and an extra sprinkling of lemon zest.

Slow Cooker Method:

Grease the slow cooker with butter. Follow steps 2 and 3. Add the batter to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3–3 1/2 hours until the lemon delicious is golden and just set. Follow step 5.