This is a killer recipe from Tyler Florence. These little 'puddings', baked in individual ramekins en bain marie, are not quite cake, not quite souffle, not quite flan, but a mysteriously light and moist combination of the three. The batter goes together in a snap, and the result is worthy of a great pastry chef. Makes four.
Steamed Lemon Puddings With Fresh Berries
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2/3 cup superfine sugar
2 eggs, separated
2/3 cup reduced fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
*Garnish:
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and lightly sugar 4 ramekins (about 1-cup size).
In a mixer, add egg yolks, buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat until well combined. Reduce the speed to low and sift in flour, sugar and salt. Continue to mix until combined. Beat egg whites until you get stiff peaks then combine the 2 mixtures by gently folding them together, a little at a time. Divide evenly amongst ramekins then bake in a water bath - set ramekins in a roasting tray and fill with water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 60 minutes until the top springs back when gently pressed and the cakes have a nice golden brown color. Allow to cool slightly, then carefully invert onto a plate. Serve with fresh berries and dust with powdered sugar.
*In deference to the originator, I included his measurements but frankly that's twice as much fruit as you need or, in my opinion, want. Each plate looked balanced with about 3 or 4 each of raspberries and blackberries, and maybe 5 or 7 blueberries. More would have been a crowd and diminished the pudding itself.