In honor of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (June) and the London Olympic games later this month, I've decided to spotlight some British cuisine in July and continue through the Olympic Closing Ceremonies on August 12th.
In the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries,
pudding refers to rich, fairly homogeneous starch or dairy based dessert such as rice pudding and Christmas pudding. The word
pudding is believed to come from the French
boudin, originally from the Latin
botellus, meaning "small sausage," referring to encased meats used in Medieval European puddings.
The original pudding was formed by mixing various ingredients with a grain product or other binder such as butter, flour, eggs and suet, resulting in a solid mass. These puddings were then baked, steamed or boiled. Boiled pudding was a common main course aboard ships in the Royal Navy in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The second and newer type of pudding is creamy and consists primarily of sugar and milk and some form of a thickening agent such as cornstarch, gelatin, or tapioca to create a sweet, creamy dessert. This pudding terminology is common in North America and some European
countries such as the Netherlands, whilst in Britain egg-thickened
puddings are considered custards.
Enjoy!
Stacy
Steamed Lemon Pudding
Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup skim milk
5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
Seasonal berries, for serving (optional)
Whipped cream or Vanilla Ice Cream (optional)
Directions:
-
Preheat 350 degrees. Spray six 6-ounce ramekins with nonstick
cooking spray. Place ramekins in a small roasting pan and set aside.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and flour. In a second
bowl, whisk together egg yolks and butter until well combined. Whisk in
milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pour egg yolk mixture into sugar
mixture and whisk until smooth.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk
attachment, whisk egg whites and salt until firm peaks form. Gently fold
egg whites into sugar mixture. Pour batter into prepared ramekins and
add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the
ramekins.
-
Carefully transfer to oven and bake until puffy and golden on
top, about 35 minutes. Using tongs, transfer ramekins to a rack to cool
for 20 minutes. Serve cakes in ramekins or run a knife around the edge
of each cake and unmold onto serving plates. Serve warm or at room
temperature with berries, if desired.
Image courtesy of Google Images
