Meyer Lemon Budino

It's raining in New York, and my nose hurts from sneezing so much. I hate the cold that comes inevitably with the first week of school. My immune system just wasn't ready. Already I'm thinking wistfully back to summer, especially the lovely week I spent in LA. Sunny and fruitful. A Meyer lemon tree in the backyard.

Which bore many many lemons. Overjoyed with fresh meyer lemons, I decided something must be done. So I did it. 

 Make meyer lemon budino, that is. Budino is the italian word for pudding, but budino is a little different from american pudding. It's kinda like a souffle with a creamy pudding bottom. It's light and airy and kind of one-better-than-a-cake-like on top, but the bottom of smooth and silken.

 And all of it is sweet but not too sweet, zesty and tart and genuinely lemony. Also, did I mention how insanely easy it is to make? Very hard to mess up? So very pretty? And individual servings?! I can feel the gloom start to lift already.

Meyer Lemon Budino
6 servings
adapted from Epicurious

1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tbsps
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup all purpose flour
juice of 4 fresh meyer lemons
2 tbsps grated meyer lemon peel
3/4 cup milk (skim worked fine but if you want creamier, go whole)
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Butter six small ramekins. 

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, flour, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl and whisk until well blended. Whisk in milk.

Using electric mixer or by hand in aluminum or copper bowl, beat egg whites and salt in medium bowl until frothy. 

Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until soft peaks form. 

Fold beaten egg whites into lemon mixture in 2 additions. 

Pour into ramekins and place in roasting pan. Pour enough water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cups. 

Bake puddings until tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched, about 30 minutes. 

Remove cups from water. Serve warm or cold this day or the next.