Forgotten Lemon Heaven
I acquired this recipe when I was at college in the mid-sixties and it was so popular that it became the standard pudding for special occasions when I was sharing a flat in London, at home in the country and when I was first married. Then, as I entertained more, I moved on to other recipes and forgot about this one, until recently. Suddenly, I thought about the wonderful lemon flavour, the smooth texture and how it tasted so very special without being too rich. I could not remember, though, having seen the distinctive card in the kitchen for years. But within about 1 minute, to my extreme surprise, I came across it. I did not doubt that the reality would be as good as the memory. And I was right. As the first spoonful melted in my mouth, a whole host of memories flooded back.
INGREDIENTS:
4 TBSP WATER
3 TSP POWDERED
GELATINE
FINELY GRATED RIND ANT)
JUICE OF 2 LEMONS
3 EGGS, SEPARATED
115 G/4 OZ CASTER SUGAR
150 MI/5 FL OZ SINGLE CREAM
350 G/12 OZ COTTAGE.
CHEESE, SIEVED
150 ML/5 FL OZ DOUBLE CREAM,
LIGHTLY WHIPPED
CRUST:
8 DI cEsTivE BISCUITS,
CRUSHED
25 di Oz. DEMERARA SUGAR
55 G/2 OZ UNSALTED
BUTTER, MELTED
DECORATION:
CRYSTALLIZED LEMON SLICES
DIRECTIONS:
Lightly brush the sides and bottom of a 20 cm/8 inch loose-based springform cake tin with a flavourless vegetable oil.
To make the crust, mix the ingredients together, then spoon evenly over the base of the tin and press down lightly.
Place the water into a small heatproof bowl, sprinkle the gelatine over the top and
leave for about 5 minutes until the gelatine becomes spongy.
Meanwhile, place the lemon rind, egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk together until pale and thick enough to support a trail of mixture when the beaters are lifted.
When the gelatine has become spongy, place the bowl over a saucepan of hot water and leave until the gelatine has melted, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl front the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Stir a little of the single cream into the gelatine, then stir in the remaining single cream.
Put the cottage cheese into a bowl and stir in the single cream and lemon juice. Using a large metal spoon, lightly fold into the egg yolk mixture and leave until thick but not quite set.
)In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry, then, using a large metal spoon, lightly fold into the egg yolk mixture in four hatches, including all but 2 tablespoons of the double cream at the same time. Pour into the tin and place in the refrigerator until set.
Remove the sides of the tin, then, using a fish slice, carefully lift and slide the pudding onto a cold plate. Decorate with the remaining doable cream and crystallized lemon slices.
