Ah, lemon self-saucing pudding—a light, tangy, and comforting dessert with a cake-like top and a luscious lemony sauce underneath. The best part? It makes its own sauce while baking! Here’s a detailed guide:
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
For the pudding topping:
- 1 cup (125 g) self-raising flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
- 1 large egg, beaten
For the lemon sauce:
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) boiling water
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
- Optional: extra lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat and prepare dish
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a medium baking dish (8×8-inch or similar).
2. Make the pudding batter
- In a bowl, mix self-raising flour, sugar, and lemon zest.
- Add melted butter, milk, and beaten egg.
- Stir until just combined (don’t overmix).
3. Transfer to baking dish
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared dish.
4. Add the sauce ingredients
- Gently sprinkle sugar over the top of the batter.
- Pour boiling water carefully over the back of a spoon onto the batter (so it doesn’t wash it away).
- Drizzle lemon juice over the top.
5. Bake
- Bake for 30–35 minutes. The top will form a light cake layer while a tangy lemon sauce forms underneath.
6. Serve
- Serve warm with cream, ice cream, or custard.
- Optional: garnish with extra lemon zest or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Tips
- Do not mix the boiling water in: The magic of self-saucing pudding is that the water sinks and forms the sauce under the sponge.
- Adjust tartness: Add more or less lemon juice depending on your taste.
- Make-ahead: You can assemble the pudding ahead of time (without baking) and store in the fridge; bake just before serving.
If you want, I can also give a microwave version that’s ready in under 10 minutes—perfect for a quick treat.
Do you want me to share that version?
