Lemon and saffron pudding

Baking Dessert

Serves 6-8

Prep 25 min

Cook 50 min

Once in the oven, this pudding quietly performs its alchemy, producing a soft sponge on top, with a sharp and glossy sauce underneath. The saffron, used sparingly (even a pinch will work), gives a subtle warmth and colour, though you can also do without it, if you prefer.

Ingredients

⅛ tsp	saffron
500ml	whole milk, plus 1 tablespoon to bloom the saffron
360g	caster sugar
6	eggs, yolks and white separated
40g	unsalted butter, melted
60g	plain flour
¼ tsp	flaked sea salt
3-4	lemons, squeezed for 120ml juice
1½ tbsp	demerara sugar
TO SERVE
	double cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C.
Grind the saffron with a pestle and mortar and mix in 1 tablespoon of the milk to help it bloom. Set aside while you get on with the rest.
In a large bowl, whisk together the caster sugar, egg yolks and half the milk. Once smooth, whisk in the butter, flour, salt, remaining milk, saffron milk and lemon juice. Whisk quickly, so the flour doesn’t clump, and once smooth, set aside.
Use a mixer (or you can do it by hand) to whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Stir one third of the whites into the lemon mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites, making sure not to knock out much air. Carefully pour the mixture into a 29 × 18 cm ovenproof dish and scatter the demerara sugar on top.
Put the pudding dish in a larger, high-sided oven tray. Place on the middle shelf in the oven and carefully pour enough boiling water into the tray to come halfway up the sides of the pudding dish.
Bake for 45 minutes, until set and golden on top. Set aside for 5 minutes, then serve with plenty of cream alongside.