Lemon Meringue Pudding

Lemon Meringue Pudding

This old fashion dessert is comfort food of the highest order.  During baking this pudding separates, forming a custard-like sauce on the bottom and a spongecake meringue top layer.  If you have a couple lemons, some butter and eggs and a few extra minutes, you have dessert!  This recipe is from Gourmet's Best Desserts, from the editors of Gourmet, a magazine of our memories.  Last night we could not help adding some warmed blueberries to this dessert.  My husband heated them in a dry pan until they burst.

• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 3 eggs separated 
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 
• 1/3 cup flour 
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt plus a pinch 
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• pinch of cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for garnish if desired

Butter the souffle dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl with a mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light.  Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, beating  well after each addition.  Add the lemon juice, flour, lemon rind, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt and combine well.  Add the milk in a stream, and combine the mixture well.  In a bowl with the mixer beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until frothy, add the cream of tartar, and beat until they hold stiff peaks.  Stir one fourth of the whites into the lemon mixture, fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly, and transfer the mixture to the souffle dish. 

Put the dish in a larger pan, add enough boiling water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the dish, and bake the dessert in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes, or until the pudding is puffed and the top is golden.  If desired sift the confectioners' sugar over the top.  Serve the dessert warm or chilled.