Lemon and yoghurt pudding cake

Thursday 8 October at 5:01pm

This Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's version of that cosy favourite, lemon delicious pudding. On cooking, the batter separates, leaving a pool of lemon curd-y sauce at the base of the dish and a tender, light sponge on top. The recipe makes great use of slightly mature yoghurt. If you don’t have quite enough, simply combine the yoghurt with some whole milk to bring it up to 250g.

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

40g butter, melted and cooled, plus extra to grease the dish160g caster sugar3 large eggs, separatedFinely grated zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons3 tablespoons self-raising flour½ teaspoon baking powder250g thick Greek-style or other natural wholemilk yoghurt (less than fresh is fine)Icing sugar, to finish

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Lightly butter a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish.

Using an electric hand mixer, or free-standing mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light, pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl down with a spatula a couple of times.

Beat in the egg yolks and lemon zest, then sift the flour and baking powder together over the batter and lightly fold in.

Whisk together the yoghurt and lemon juice, then gently stir this mixture into the batter until just combined.

Whisk the egg whites in a scrupulously clean bowl until they form soft peaks then gently fold into the lemon mixture, using a metal spoon.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish. Stand the dish in a roasting tin and carefully pour in boiling water from the kettle to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for about 50 minutes until the pudding is puffed up and lightly golden on the top – it should still have a slightly tender wobble to it.

Carefully remove from the oven, then lift the pudding out of the roasting tin. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Dust with icing sugar to serve. Hand round a jug of double cream or a bowl of thick fresh yoghurt for everyone to help themselves.

Extract taken from River Cottage Love Your Leftovers by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Bloomsbury, £20)