lemon meringue pudding

If you like lemon meringue pie, you’ll love this simplified version. It separates while baking into a curd-like layer on the bottom and a meringue-like layer on top, but there is no crust to hassle with. Even if you aren’t great at baking (which I’m not) you can impress with this. Use a glass baking dish because it helps the pudding cook more evenly and prevents the off-taste a metal pan can impart to lemony recipes. Meyer lemons have amazing flavor and aroma, but regular lemons can be used if that’s all you’ve got.

ingredients

butter, for greasing dish
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
kosher salt
3 eggs, separated
grated zest of 1 Meyer or regular lemon
1/3 cup Meyer or regular lemon juice
1 cup whole milk

directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square glass baking dish with butter. Bring a kettle of water to boil. Select a larger baking dish or roasting pan that the baking dish will fit into to create a bain marie.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt with a fork. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the lemon batter until only a few streaks of white remain.

Pour mixture into the greased baking dish and place that dish in the larger pan. Pour boiling water from the kettle into the outer pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the inner dish. Transfer to the oven, moving carefully so boiling water doesn’t slosh. Bake until pudding is golden brown on top, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly, then scoop into bowls and serve warm.