Self-saucing puddings are magic, and we should all have a recipe up our sleeve. The transformation from a soggy batter (in which it is hard to see the potential) to a fluffy, moreish pudding is something to behold. I have made many iterations of them in my time – some with dates and ricotta, others with apple and toffee,chocolate fudge and beyond. This one, with elderflower and lemon, is for citrus fans. It is wonderfully sharp, and can be put together at a moment’s notice.
Self-saucing elderflower and lemon pudding
I use a medium oval casserole dish of roughly 650ml capacity. The batter needs to fill it halfway up the side, so the liquid sits on top without spilling over.
Prep 20 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4-6
80g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
80g golden caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons (use the juice in the sauce)
2 eggs
100g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
100g ricotta
For the sauce
Juice of 2 lemons (you’ll need 80ml)
60g caster sugar
30ml elderflower cordial
15g cornflour
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and grease your baking dish (see recipe introduction).
In a bowl, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold in gently until just combined. Fold through the ricotta, then spoon the batter into the greased dish and spread it out evenly.
Put the lemon juice, caster sugar, elderflower cordial and cornflour in a small pan, put on a medium heat and stir until steaming. Pour the sauce over the top of the batter, then put the dish on a baking tray to catch any drips. Transfer to the hot oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pudding is golden brown and set, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Remove, leave to cool for a few minutes, then serve.
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