I love it when an author gives a character a memorable “monkey”—a truly great trait or accessory that provides them with an identifiable silhouette and makes an imprint on our hearts: Miss Havisham’s rotted wedding dress, Philip Carey’s club foot in Of Human Bondage, Cyrano’s protuberant proboscis, Hester Prynne’s scarlet letter!
When it came to making this Baked Lemon Pudding with Blueberry Jam I became giddy as a kid, remembering when I was one, picking blueberries with my mother along bristling side roads in Maine. And thanks to Roald Dahl, blueberries will also always remind me of Violet Beauregard, that little brat from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory whose inability to stop chewing gum yielded disastrous results. Here’s what happened to her after eating a stick of Wonka’s gum that wasn’t quite ready yet...
“But there was no saving her now. Her body was swelling up and changing shape at such a rate that within a minute it had turned into nothing less than an enormous round blue ball—a gigantic blueberry, in fact—and all that remained of Violet Beauregard herself was a tiny pair of legs and a tiny pair of arms sticking out of the great round fruit and a little head on top.”
Since the first day of Spring is a week away, I’m pretty sure you should make this pudding in celebration—but it’s not exactly a pudding. Perhaps imagine instead a meet-cute where tart lemon curdy custard and an airy soufflé topping have a fling with blueberry jam.
Whatever you want to call it, start cracking those eggs and fling yourself into Spring with this luscious dessert. I think it’s best served chilled!
P.S. I would be remiss not to mention Robert McCloskey and Blueberries for Sal, of course.
Baked Lemon Pudding with Blueberry Jam
By Melissa Clark
6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons/28 grams unsalted butter, softened
1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
2 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons zest and ½ cup juice)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
¼ cup/31 grams all-purpose flour
1 cup/236 milliliters whole milk
⅓ cup/about 120 grams blueberry jam
Powdered sugar, for serving
Preparation
Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, lemon zest and salt, using a wooden spoon to mash together. Mix in egg yolks, then whisk in flour. Whisk in lemon juice and milk.
Step 4: Using a whisk, electric mixer or electric beaters, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into batter.
Step 5: Pour batter into a glass pie dish or shallow gratin dish and use a spoon to top with small dollops of jam. Bake until golden brown on top and just set (a wiggle in the center is fine), about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then use a spoon to serve warm or room temperature with a dusting of powdered sugar.
By Melissa Clark
6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons/28 grams unsalted butter, softened
1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
2 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons zest and ½ cup juice)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
¼ cup/31 grams all-purpose flour
1 cup/236 milliliters whole milk
⅓ cup/about 120 grams blueberry jam
Powdered sugar, for serving
Preparation
Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, lemon zest and salt, using a wooden spoon to mash together. Mix in egg yolks, then whisk in flour. Whisk in lemon juice and milk.
Step 3: In a small bowl, stir blueberry jam to loosen.
Step 4: Using a whisk, electric mixer or electric beaters, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into batter.
Step 5: Pour batter into a glass pie dish or shallow gratin dish and use a spoon to top with small dollops of jam. Bake until golden brown on top and just set (a wiggle in the center is fine), about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then use a spoon to serve warm or room temperature with a dusting of powdered sugar.
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