Lemon Delicious

Lemon Delicious is a light and zesty, self-saucing lemon pudding that's easy to make. It requires only basic ingredients. And, yes, it really does live up to its name – especially when served with a little ice cream or custard.

Jump to:

• An old-fashioned favourite
• Ingredient notes
• Equipment
• How to make Lemon Delicious
• Serving your pudding
• Storage and re-heating
• More sweet old-fashioned recipes
• Lemon Delicious

An old-fashioned favourite

It's the pudding that has been around for hundreds of years and goes by various names. It's generally known as Lemon Delicious in Australia these days and I couldn't think of a more fitting name! Here's a little snapshot of how we've named and shared this recipe from the 1930s through to the 1980s.

Ingredient notes

I love this dessert because it feels quite fancy but can be made using basic ingredients. Provided you have a fresh lemon and eggs, you may just have everything else on hand.

Ideal varieties of lemon for cooking include Eureka, Meyer and Lisbon lemons. Bonus points if you can grab a homegrown one from your backyard or a friend.

SR flour, or self-raising flour, can be substituted with plain / all purpose flour with added baking powder – see the recipe card below for precise details.

Caster sugar, also known as superfine sugar, is the best sugar to use, though you could substitute white or brown sugar.

A full ingredient list along with quantities required can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Equipment

Before you start:

• Decide whether you'll be making six individual puddings or one larger pudding (that'll serve 6-8 people).
• If you go with six individual puddings, you'll need to grease six ramekins (small ovenproof dishes).
• If you make one large pudding, you'll need a large baking dish. Make sure you grease it well.
• Whatever option you go with, you'll also need a much larger and deep baking tray or pan that you can place the ramekins or large baking inside of. (This pudding bakes in a water bath, which is simply a pan of hot water.)

Okay, when you're ready to start, heat your oven to moderate (180 degrees celsius / 355 degrees fahrenheit, fan-forced).

How to make Lemon Delicious

TIP: Keep in mind that to make this pudding you need to create two separate mixtures – the lemon mixture and the meringue mixture – before folding them together.

First, the lemon mixture.

Start by beating the eggs yolks and sugar on med-high speed until you achieve a creamy, pale-coloured mixture. Add the melted butter, milk, lemon juice and lemon rind and mix on low speed until combined. Gradually add the flour while mixing on low speed and then set aside this lemon mixture.

Second, let's make the meringue mixture.

Grab another clean bowl and beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the sugar slowly while continuing to beat, until sugar has dissolved and you have a meringue mixture.

Third, it's time to combine the two mixtures.

Gently fold the meringue mixture into the lemon mixture until combined.

Once the mixture is completely combined and a uniform colour (but remembering not to over-fold and go gently), pour the mixture into your well-greased large baking dish or evenly into 6 well-greased ramekins.

Then place the baking dish or ramekins into a larger baking dish and fill the larger baking dish with boiling water so it comes half way up the sides of your baking dish or ramekins.

Place in the oven and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes (if individual ramekins) or 50 minutes (if large baking dish).

During the cooking process, the mixture will separate into a sponge layer on top and a lemon curd/custard sauce layer on the bottom.

Once baked, you want the sponge top to be golden and the whole pudding to be just a little wobbly.

Serving your pudding

Lemon Delicious pudding is best served warm from the oven, dusted with icing sugar and with cream, ice cream or custard.

Storage and re-heating

You can keep Lemon Delicious in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days.

It's best re-heated in a microwave.

You can also freeze any leftovers. Wrap in plastic food wrap or place in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to a couple of months.

More sweet old-fashioned recipes

If you love this recipe, I reckon you'll fall for these ones too:

Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

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