Mason Jar Lemon Pudding Cakes (sous vide)

Mason Jar Lemon Pudding Cakes
Courtesy of Sous Vide Basics: 100+ Recipes for Perfect Results by Jay Nutt and Jennifer MacKenzie

These have a thin sauce in the bottom, rather than a thick pudding, but they are as tasty and comforting as old-fashioned pudding cakes. This version does hold much better than traditional pudding cakes, so they can be made ahead and enjoyed cold. We even got an “OMG” text from our friend Joanne when she ate her sample, so we declared these a sous vide win.

Sous vide time: 45 minutes

Tips

You’ll need 1 to 2 lemons for the grated zest for these cakes. Extra grated zest can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Squeeze out extra juice from the lemons and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze it — those zested lemons go bad quickly in the crisper.

We find that 2% or whole milk are best for cakes and sauces (or combination desserts, like this one); lower-fat milk doesn’t give cakes the desired tenderness, or sauces the desired body.

• Preheat water bath to 175°F (79°C)

• 4 wide-mouth 8-oz (250 mL) canning jars, with two‑piece lids

• 2 wire racks

Sauce

1⁄4 cup     granulated sugar                                   60 mL

1 tsp        grated lemon zest                                    5 mL

11⁄4 cups  milk                                                    300 mL

1⁄2 tsp      vanilla extract                                          2 mL

Cakes

3⁄4 cup     all-purpose flour                                  175 mL

11⁄2 tsp    baking powder                                        7 mL

1⁄4 tsp      salt                                                          1 mL

1              large egg                                                      1

2 tsp        grated lemon zest                                  10 mL

2 tbsp      freshly squeezed lemon juice                 30 mL

1 tsp        vanilla extract                                          5 mL

1⁄3 cup     granulated sugar                                   75 mL

3 tbsp      butter                                                    45 mL

1⁄2 cup     milk                                                     125 mL

1. Pour hot tap water into the canning jars to warm the glass; set aside.

2. Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine sugar, lemon zest and milk. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved (do not let boil). Pour into a liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout, stir in vanilla and cover to keep warm. Set aside (reserve saucepan).

3. Cakes: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

4. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk together egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.

Makes 4 servings