Madeline and I Make Old Fashion Lemon Pudding

I was a very lucky Grandmama this summer. I had the pleasure of Madeline's company a lot. Nothing makes me happier then hanging out with that little girl. She is full of energy and for the most part she is a smiling happy child. My biggest challenge has been finding new and different things to do through out this past summer. We did a lot, we took walks,worked on Christmas presents, rode her bike, and we played in the kitchen. Someday's we played so hard she would actually ask for a nap and sleep hard for an hour or two.That request always took me by surprise because when she was younger and naps were required she was the queen of " But Grandmama I am not tired." 
  On one of these visits we woke up to an ugly rainy day and we were going to have to stay in. Not all rainy days are meant to keep you indoors but this day was. Heavy rain with high winds as well as thunder and lightening here and there. The first words out of Madeline's mouth as she came into the living room dragging her blanket and wiping her sleepy little eyes was " Grandmama what are we going to do today?" and before I could answer " Can we put on our rain boots and go jump in the puddles?" ( see I told you not all rainy days are indoor days) I answered the second question first. "No no puddle jumping today." As for the first question I had the answer ready and waiting. " How would you like to bake something for tonight's dessert?" I really didn't need to ask the question I knew the answer. Madeline loves to help in the kitchen and baking means she gets to do a lot of stuff, from adding ingredients to mixing the batter, even putting it in the pan. She has gotten big enough to even stir simmering pans on the stove with the help of Grandmama naturally. 
  On this particular day I wanted to remake a lemon pudding recipe I had tried a few days earlier. I wanted to revisit this recipe for a few reasons, I wanted to get the measurements written down in actual cups and tablespoons and I wanted pictures.

 It is a simple very old recipe that required very little effort except for the sugar. The recipe calls for Caster sugar. After looking it up I discovered you can make your own easily enough with the food processor. My food processor being broken was no help so I used my muscles instead and ground it down by hand. Madeline had some fun with this but it wasn't her favorite part. 

The recipe has you mixing everything by hand, not this 20th century girl I pulled out the mixers. Madeline's reaction to the mixers coming out was priceless. She clapped her hands together bent slightly at the hips and with the biggest smile ever she let out what can only be described as a "coo". Watching carefully I let Madeline measure out the ingredients into their individual bowls, I separated the eggs and we were in business. Once she had added all the ingredients into the bowl I handed the mixer over to her and let her go to town.

 She did so good and not a single drop was splattered anywhere in my kitchen. I used my big Kitchen Aid for the egg whites and by the time we were done mixing the batter, the egg whites were stiff and ready to fold in. Madeline poured the batter in the pan and I put it in the oven. Wiping her hands and smiling that sweet smile of hers she looks at me and " Now what?" pops out of her mouth. I couldn't help but laugh as I set the timer. Rainy days can be so fun. 
 I wish I had more pictures of her working in the kitchen. She was so active and doing so much, but I needed my hands free to help her whenever she needed it. We had a blast and my memory has more then a dozen snap shops of this day in it.
   The recipe I found in a blog. Pudding Heaven
 It was a bit of a challenge as written but not so much that it would be considered hard.

 Ingredients

3 oz butter  6 Tablespoons

3 large eggs,  Separated

zest and juice of a large lemon

1/2 pint whole  milk ( use half milk half single cream for a richer taste) 1 cup

6oz caster sugar 3/4 cup

1oz plain flour 3 1/2 Tablespoons

Method

Beat butter with a wooden spoon until soft and creamy, then add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Separate the eggs and beat the yolks into the butter and sugar mixture together with the zest and juice of the lemon.   Sift the flour and gently stir it in, then gradually add the milk beating well with each addition.  In a sepreate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture.  Pour the pudding into a buttered 2 pint oven proof dish and bake in the centre of oven at 350F  or 175 C  for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and springy to the touch. I used my stand mixer for the egg whites and hand mixer for the rest.
  This is not pudding like you get from a box. As it bakes the flour will form a cake like crust at the top and under the crust will be a custard like pudding.

 I think it needs more lemon in the flavor but I like the texture of the pudding. Madeline only liked the cake like top part. At least she liked something about the pudding after all she did to help make it.

  Happy Wednesday! Thank you for stopping by.