Swiss Pudding

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup butter
• 0.875 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 lemon rind, grated
• 5 eggs
• 0.333 cup powdered sugar

Method

Melt 115g butter over medium heat, then work in 110g flour off the heat to form a roux. You're building the thickening base — the starch granules will gelatinise when you introduce the milk, trapping liquid and giving the pudding its custard-like body. Warm 480ml milk with the grated lemon rind until steam rises from the surface (do not boil). Pour the hot milk into the roux in stages, whisking hard after each addition to avoid lumps. The initial shock of heat will cause the starch to swell. Set the bowl over simmering water in a double-boiler and stir constantly for five minutes — you're cooking out the raw flour taste and letting the mixture thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon with a thin veil that doesn't immediately run off.

Whisk the five egg yolks in a separate bowl until pale and thick, then add 40g caster sugar gradually while whisking. This ribbon stage — when the yolks fall from the whisk in a thick ribbon that holds its shape for a moment — means the eggs are aerated and won't scramble when you introduce them to the hot mixture. Temper the yolks by pouring the milk mixture into them in a thin stream whilst whisking constantly. This gradual temperature increase prevents the proteins from seizing. Once combined, let the mixture cool to blood temperature (test with your finger — no hotter than a comfortable bath).

Whip the five egg whites until stiff peaks form and the surface looks matte, not glossy. This is emulsification in action — the whisk is forcing air into the protein network, creating thousands of tiny bubbles. Fold the whites into the cooled custard base in two additions, turning the bowl as you fold so the lighter foam distributes evenly without deflating. Overworking here crushes the bubbles; you want those air pockets to expand in the steam and create a light, soufflé-like crumb.

Butter a pudding mould (or heatproof bowl), pour in the batter, and cover tightly with buttered greaseproof paper. Set the mould in a large pot and pour boiling water around it to come halfway up the sides. Maintain a rolling boil — gentle heat will give you a heavy, dense result. Steam for 75 minutes. Check the water level after 45 minutes; it must stay at a rolling boil or the outer layers will set before the centre cooks through. Run a knife around the edges, turn out onto a warm plate, and serve with a sharp lemon sauce or custard.