This simple little recipe creates an admittedly boring looking pudding… but don’t judge a book by its cover. Hiding underneath that perfectly soft and airy sponge is a layer of thick, tangy orange custard. And the best part is, you don’t even need to layer it.
My Orange Custard Pudding is a self-saucing recipe, meaning that you mix up all the ingredients as directed below and pop it in to bake. When your pudding is ready, it will be beautifully golden and risen on top with a layer of curd-like orange custard formed at the bottom.
It’s pure magic!
Ingredients
Serves 2
30 mins + prep time
- 1 egg
- 20g butter
- 60g caster sugar
- 35g plain flour
- 80ml milk
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of ½ orange
- Icing sugar (optional)
Method
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (or 140°C for fan ovens) and grease two small ramekins with butter.
- Separate the egg white and yolk, setting aside the yolk and whisking the egg whites until they are firm and hold their shape.
- Melt the butter and add it to another bowl with the egg yolk, sugar, flour, milk, orange zest and juice. Mix until you have a smooth batter.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until completely combined.
- Pour equally into the ramekins and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden and cracked.
- Let the puddings cool for a few minutes, dust with icing sugar (optional), then serve hot!
Tips and Questions
This Orange Custard Pudding recipe is very simple, but here are a few additional tips to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Don’t Overbake It
If your oven runs hot or your ramekin dishes heat quickly, reduce the baking time. These puddings cook fast and over-baking them will reduce the custard at the bottom.
When the top is golden, cracked, and slightly pulling away from the sides, it is definitely ready!
The Batter Will Be Thin
That’s normal for this recipe. Once you’ve folded in the egg whites, the batter will be slightly thicker but still thin enough to pour directly into the ramekins.
Choosing Ramekins
I use the Le Creuset Mini Round Cocottes – I have 4 in shades of blue and green. This stoneware heats evenly and can go in the fridge or freezer once the pudding has completely cooled. Just bring it back up to temperature slowly.
If you’re using small metal pudding cups or other thin ramekins, reduce the baking time.
Serve With…
Serve this pudding after a hearty meal or roast dinner. Extra custard is never a bad thing in my book, but you could also use single cream or vanilla ice cream.
I eat my orange custard pudding with a cup of black tea. Something malty and strong to contrast with the sweet tangy orange notes. I tried Coronet’s Breakfast Tea recently and while it wasn’t great drunk alone, it would be perfect when paired with a pudding like this one.
What Does It Taste Like?
It’s very sweet and soft. The sponge is incredibly light thanks to the whisked egg whites and the custard beneath is dense – the contrast between the two is divine. The orange flavour is powerful even though it looks, in my photos at least, like a plain sponge pudding.
I could have added orange food colouring but that just seemed scammy. If you want to serve this to guests and jazz it up a little, try making some candied orange peel to top each pudding after dusting with icing sugar.
Salted or Unsalted Butter?
I use slightly salted butter for everything by default. If you are using unsalted butter, I do recommend adding a tiny pinch along with the flour.
You can grease your ramekins with cooking spray instead of butter if you prefer.
How Does It Rise?
There’s no baking powder in this recipe, so you’re relying on the airy egg whites to provide some lift and lightness. That’s why it’s so crucial to fold gently and don’t overfold – stop just when the egg whites are incorporated without any lumps.
Is The Sauce Just Undercooked Pudding Mix?
In a way, it is. If you continue to bake your orange puddings in the oven, that custard will eventually set into solid pudding. But the top will likely be overdone or even burnt.
Think of it like a molten chocolate lava cake or a brownie. It’s supposed to be gooey in the middle. And don’t worry, it most definitely is cooked piping hot throughout (I’ve burnt my tongue on the custard more than once).
Can I Use Lemons or Limes?
This is a warming pudding that’s great for the winter months, as that’s when oranges are in season. Choosing to eat seasonal food is great for finding flow as per The Navigation Codex, and even better if oranges grow natively in your area.
However, you can substitute with any citrus fruit. You want approximately 40ml of juice total for this recipe, so you may need to juice the entire fruit to make up that amount.
