Creamy Lemon Pudding + A Farewell To Winter
Erica Lea on Mar 14th 2012
There’s something clear and fresh about lemons that whispers “Spring” to me. The bright tartness reminds me of one of those nippy spring days that seem to hold onto winter. The clean, fresh tastes speaks of new beginnings. The cheerful, warm color says sunny days.
Thus, as these Minnesota days are finally warming up, the birds are beginning to sing and the snow is almost gone, I bid farewell to winter. I love winter for its nostalgia and (most of all) for the skiing, but I am quite ready to say hello to jackets and flats and good-bye to heavy coats and snow boots.
But on to the pudding!
I was very much surprised by the creamy smoothness of this pudding - I was half expecting it to curdle horribly. However, the only lemon that hits the pudding while it cooks is the zest. Only after the pudding has completely cooled do you gently whisk in the lemon juice, ensuring that the pudding stays velvety.
The lemon flavor isn’t loud and sharp; it’s soft and slowly curls out as you savor each bite. Little bits of zest find their way into the finished pudding, even after straining, and give you a pleasant surprise. It’s marvelous.
Notes:
- I used white sugar because I didn’t want to compromise the delicate color, but you could easily substitute a more natural sweetener for a healthier treat.
- I highly recommend serving with a dollop of whipped cream. It elevates a delicious treat to a decadent dessert.
Creamy Lemon Pudding | Printable Page | Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (make sure you lemon is organic!)
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1) Begin by putting a fine-mesh strainer over a heat-proof bowl set on top of a hot pad. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cream and egg yolks. Slowly whisk into the cornstarch mixture.
2) Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat and strain into the prepared bowl. Whisk in the butter and vanilla.
3) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Gently whisk the lemon juice into the chilled pudding until smooth. Spoon into small bowls and serve.
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Filed in Dessert, Reuben Approved
I agree, lemon definitely makes me think of spring! This pudding looks delicious.
Mmmmm, that looks delish. I LOVE lemony things.
The weather here is just singing with spring… I’m so happy!
Wow, this sounds great! I’m a big fan of lemon curd, but I bet the mellowness from the dairy makes this just fantastic!
lovely! just found your photographs on etsy, so pretty and inspiring. i’ve been loving lemons lately too, so cheery
Yes! Let’s go ahead with Spring and lemons and yummy!
Lemon Pudding is a comfort food for me. This one looks delicious.
Mmm. That looks so springish. So very light and refreshing!
I noticed you said you were from MN, we have some friends who live there. What city are you close to?
Esther
That looks so cheerful and springlike!
http://adventuresofdutchandme.blogspot.com/
As always, your photos are lovely lovely!
[...] Food Inspiration. This lemon pudding from Cooking for Seven. (link) Joe Pastry’s website. (link) Potato Knish from Smitten Kitchen. (link) These cookies from [...]
Sounds so FANSTATIC! I just got some beautiful vintage dessert dishes, I think I may have to try them out with this recipe.
Your pictures are just beautiful! Thank you
I used 1/4 c honey and used arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch and it turned out so good!! (Although, I think I liked it better with only one T of lemon juice…)
This is just beautiful. I am more than ready to welcome in spring time, and lemons leave no room for misinterpretation - that spring has sprung!!
As much as I will miss winter dishes and cooking, I absolutely can’t wait for spring- this dessert looks perfect for an outdoor party!
I don’t even like pudding but I think this will change my mind.
That lemon pudding looks scrumptious…and the photography is equally fabulous! When I think of a “fresh” dessert or coffee/tea time snack, I always think “lemon”. And…for some reason…I never feel as “guilty” about eating a baked treat or dessert if it is lemony, as opposed to chocolate, etc.
A keeper pudding recipe for sure.
The lemon pudding is amazing. One of my favorites actually. It’s so easy to make and so delicious, you just have to love it.
Mmmm this looks great. I just discovered the site and absolutely love the pics, the great recipes and the overall vibe. Thanks for the inspiration on many levels!
Erica, I loved this pudding! Made it for dinner guests tonight & it turned out delicious. I tried tweaking it by adding a piece of ginger to the mix and straining it out, but there wasn’t enough to make any difference. Tasted lemony & wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. I’ll be making it again soon!