It’s citrus season. The amazing honeybells are already gone. A hybrid between a tangerine and a grapefruit, they are ridiculously sweet and juicy. During her Florida years, Mom used to send us boxes of them every year.

Next up are Meyer lemons. Much sweeter than a lemon; but far more tart than an orange, Meyer lemons are one hellova of a fruit. Alice Waters and Martha Stewart featured and popularized the Meyer lemons and now they are commonly found in many American produce departments. A citrus fruit, they are soft and juicy and may be either yellow or orange.They also have a lot of seeds that you will want to watch out for.

Turns out this recipe, which highlights Meyer lemons, is also a hybrid. It is a little like magic, Fellow FoodBeest. I took it out of the oven at the appointed time and, to my delight, the top of it was cake and the bottom of it was a lemon-curd-like pudding. It spotlighted my cool Meyer lemons in a light, slightly puckery fusion sweet. I topped it with blueberries I found nearly hiding in the back of the fridge, but raspberries or strawberries would have also been good.

Half a cake; half a pudding this really is a hellova dessert.

And if you’re going to get me to eat dessert, it’s either going to be chocolate … or it’s going to be puckery. This is a good one.

What You Need To Make Meyer Lemon Pudding-Cake

4 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 C granulated sugar
1 T lemon zest
3 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1/3 C Meyer lemon juice (juice of two medium Meyer lemons)
[If you can’t find Meyer lemons, you can use the ¼ C juice of regular lemons]
1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 C plain yogurt or sour cream
[I like to use non-fat Greek yogurt]
¼ t salt
½ C berries of your choice (optional)
Powdered sugar, for dusting

How To Make Meyer Lemon Pudding-Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 1-quart soufflé dish. (You can use smaller dishes or ramekins, if you want individual servings).

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and lemon zest and beat until combined. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add half the lemon juice, half the flour and half the yogurt and beat until smooth; repeat with remaining lemon juice, flour and yogurt.

Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl at medium speed until they are foamy. Increase the speed to medium-high, add the salt, and beat it to stiff peaks. Add one-quarter of the whites to the lemon mixture and gently fold in. Continue to fold in the whites one-quarter at a time. Transfer it to a prepared soufflé dish or individual ramekins. Place the dish or dishes in a larger pan and carefully pour boiling water around it to a depth of 1 inch.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until slightly golden brown and the center is just set. if you use smaller dishes or ramekins decrease baking time to 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Just watch the cakes to be safe.

The cake should spring back when gently touched. Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking. Remove from the water bath immediately and cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes.

Top with the berries of your choice. Lightly dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm. A little whipped cream ain’t bad on it either.

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