Serves4 to 6
- Active time:20 min
- Start to finish:2 1/4 hr
March 2009
Easy enough to make for a weeknight dessert, delicious enough to crown a dinner party, this pudding is cool, lush, and light on the tongue. With its balance of cream and lemon, it snuggles into that golden mean between sweet and tart. The egg yolk added toward the end not only enriches the pudding but also deepens its color.
-
1/2
cup
sugar
-
2
tablespoons
cornstarch
-
1
cup
whole milk
-
1
cup
heavy cream
-
1/2
teaspoon
grated lemon zest
-
1/4
cup
fresh lemon juice, or to taste
-
2
tablespoons
unsalted butter, cut into bits
-
1
large egg yolk
-
Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a 1 1/2-qt heavy saucepan. Whisk in milk, cream, and zest until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, then boil, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon juice, butter, and yolk. Transfer pudding to a bowl. If desired, stir in more lemon juice to taste. Chill pudding, its surface covered with parchment paper, until thickened, about 2 hours.
Cooks’ note: Pudding can be chilled up to 1 day.