Lemon Sponge Pudding

INGREDIENTS   

• 1½ cups milk
• 3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 1 T. grated lemon zest
• ⅓ cups fresh lemon juice
• 2 T. unsalted butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup flour
• pinch of salt 

DIRECTIONS   

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. 
2. You'll need eight 4-oz ramekins or custard cups and a roasting pan large enough to hold them.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat milk just until simmering. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, whisk yolks to blend, then gradually whisk in hot milk. Whisk in lemon zest and juice, then butter until butter melts. In a small bowl, whisk sugar and flour until blended. Whisk into lemon mixture just until smooth.
4. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Gently whisk half the egg whites into the lemon mixture. Whisk in remaining whites until blended.
5. Ladle into ramekins. (If mixture in bowl starts to separate, gently stir, then proceed to ladle mixture into remaining ramekins.)
6. Place ramekins in roasting pan. Carefully add very hot tap water to pan to come about halfway up sides of ramekins.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until puddings are firm to the touch and very light golden. Remove from water to a rack to cool. Let cool 30 minutes before inverting, or cover cooled ramekins and refrigerate up to 2 days.
8. Run a knife along edges of ramekins, then invert puddings onto serving plates. Spoon any of the mixture clinging to the ramekins over top.

Recipe Image: Land O Lakes