I’m
sure that I am not the only foodie with an absolute crush on Jamie Oliver. He
is an inspiration to many not only because his cooking tastes and looks
beautiful, but also because it is so simple to recreate at home. His passion for food
is so genuine and contagious that, after reading one of his recipes or watching
one of his TV shows, you want to jump into the kitchen even if it is just
to crack an egg. And, oh, he also has a wicked British accent (and yes, after a
few years living in North America, it sounds like the most exotic thing in the world).
Last
week, during a rare occasion when my usually suppressed sweet tooth gene decided
to act like an alpha male, I started to crave dessert. My dinner HAD to
have a dessert component in it. After flicking through a few cookbooks, I ended
up going back to my much-trusted Jamie collection and settled for the “Lovely
Lemon Curdy Pud” (from Happy Days with the Naked Chef). Unfortunately the first
trial didn’t go too well. The light lemony taste was there but the texture was a miss (too
liquid). Determined to get it right, I tried it again during the week with a
few measurement adjustments. And bingo! Total satisfaction!
I think this recipe is great for both a casual weekday dinner and guests. It takes about 5 minutes to put together. You can start preparing the batter as your guests arrive, put it in the oven just before you sit at the table and forget about it. You will only have to get up towards the end of your dinner to get the the dish out of the oven and let it cool down just a little bit. Delicious served on its own.
Serves 6
¼
cup (¼ stick) unsalted butter, softened
⅓
cup sugar (I used organic golden sugar)
Grated
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2
large eggs, separated
6½
generous tablespoons plain white flour
1
teaspoon baking powder
1
cup and a tiny less milk (about 250ml)
½
teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Note:
You can use 6½ tablespoons self-rising flour and scrap the baking powder
Preheat
your over at 400°F (200°C). Butter a ceramic pie dish (or a Pyrex one).
In
a small bowl whisk together flour and baking powder. In a separate medium bowl,
beat together softened butter, lemon zest and sugar with a handheld mixer at
medium speed until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks on at a time until blended. Add
flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well
combined after each (this avoids unnecessary splatters).
Whisk
egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff and fold them gently in batter. Pour
batter in your buttered pie dish. Place the dish in a roasting pan about one third
full of water and bake for about 45 minutes (this induces even cooking and
avoids the pudding from cracking from top).
You
can keep the leftovers covered in the fridge for a few days. Re-heat before
serving.
Bon
appétit!

