This dessert. Ohhhhhh wow you guys. Smooth and creamy lemon custard in a totally perfect tart crust. Simple ingredients that you probably have on hand all the time put together in a pretty way. Just the right thing for a shower.
Which is exactly why I made it!
Because this is Omeletta’s Surprise Baby Shower!
Let’s take a second to meet Ruthy —>>>
AKA Omeletta, self-proclaimed food nerd, who is having a baby! A few months back Β she was my Leftovers Club pal who sent me some delicious apple sandwich cookies in the mail, but I’ve always loved her little space of recipes and writing which bounces from inventive and creative to super cozy comfort foods. Funny all the invisible friends you make photographing and talking about food all day; Ruthy is one of my most fun favorites!!!
I was trying to figure out what to make for her little virtual baby shower here, and if you scroll to the end of this post for all the other baby shower goodies you’ll see a running Irish theme because Ruthy is married to the Big Man who she met while living in Ireland for a few years.
A traditional lemon pudding seemed like just the ticket. This dessert is not overly sweet and is definitely not “pudding” in the Jell-O sense of the word. It’s more of a baked custard — the texture is kind of like cheesecake except fluffy because it’s all folded full of egg whites that are beaten meringue-style.
You are gonna love it!
Happy Happy Baby Shower Ruthy!
- For the Crust:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- For the Irish Lemon Pudding:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, whites and yolks divided
- 2 large lemons, zested and juiced
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1¼ cups milk
- Whipped cream and sprinkles to top!
- To make the crust, place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and melt it. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Pour in the melted butter and pull everything together with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula. Use your hands to completely incorporate all the bits and form a ball.
- The dough will be smooth, soft, and pliable.Press it into the bottom and up the sides of an 8 or 9" tart pan (a springform pan is fine, too!), cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350Β°F. Take the chilled dough out of the fridge and prick it all over with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes and then set aside while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks and beat until fluffy. Place the egg whites in a medium bowl (one large enough that you can get the beaters of a hand mixer in it).
- To the butter, sugar, and yolks add the lemon zest and juice. Beat until smooth. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Slowly pour in the milk and mix completely -- the batter will be liquidy with bubbles appearing at the edges of the bowl.
- Using the whisk attachments for your hand mixer (or an incredible amount of elbow grease) beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. They will look like meringue!
- Fold the whites into the batter. You might not be able to fold it all in without it looking clumpy and lumpy. It's ok! You want those fluffy egg whites to stay that way.
- Pour the batter into the crust and bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Top with whipped cream and sprinkles.
- Serve warm or cold.
I adapted this recipe from an adapted version of this at The Baker Upstairs (gorgeous. You HAVE to look.) who found it in a book called Irish Traditional Cooking.
Lots of people pitched in to make this little surprise baby shower happen and all of them made some delicious food. Be sure to check it out!!!
All the Other Delicious Baby Shower Food:
No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars – Food Babbles
Beef and Pepperoni Puffs – Food Ramblings
Mini Quiche Bites – Poet in the Pantry
Grapefruit Thyme Scones – Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Smoky Kale and Potato Cakes with Red Kale Salad and Quick Pickled Apples – Joanne Eats Well
Blood Orange Egg Tarts – Kelly Bakes
Irish Cheese and Bacon Popcorn – Chocolate Moosey
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tanya
I needed a lemon dessert today! It’s minus 2,369 degrees here today! This instantly made me happy!
Heather
Yayyyy! This was so good. It’s crazy cold here too! I’m wearing a coat in the house.
Ruthy @ Omeletta
Heather, GAH! Like I needed another reason to get all emotional lately- THANK YOU for this! I am totally amazed that you guys brought this together for me, and this tart looks insane. I could easily eat an entire pie, I think. And with sprinkles! Thank you, girl! <3
Heather
Yaaaaayyyy! Surprise!!!!! This was way fun. And you should eat an entire pie. Babies are the best excuse for indulging π
Thanks for being awesome!
Sarah Toasty
Coming from some of the other parties, just had to check out your dessert! I love the texture of of the lemon pudding filling, makes me want a dollop right now!
Heather
Thanks so much Sarah! I super loved the texture of this dessert. I’ll be making this one again for sure!!
Happy Valley Chow
This dessert definitely sounds like it would be right up my alley! Sooo yummy π
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Heather
Thank you!
Peggy Campbell
And so pretty! Your pictures look great! I love some lemon anything!
Heather
Thanks Mom!!!
Susan
Oh I love this! the lemon tart and sprinkles and shortbread crust! Could it all. Thanks for putting together a fabulous party.
Heather
Thanks for participating Susan! This was really fun π
Rachel
Love the new blog look. And, your pictures keep getting better and better.—Rachel
Heather
Thanks so much Rachel! I am way excited about my redesign π
Carrie @ poet in the pantry
What a delightful dessert! So refreshing–it’s like summer packaged up in a sweet! Thanks for organizing this virtual baby shower–I’m so glad I could be a part of it!
Heather
I’m so glad you could too Carrie! Thanks a million for participating! I feel like if we actually put all our foods on a real table we would have had a fabulous shower!!
Elizabeth @ Food Ramblings
This looks SOOO delicious! Thanks for coordinating the baby shower– yay Ruthy!
Heather
Thank you Elizabeth! And thank you so much for contributing!
Carla
Mmm I love anything lemon, and I bet Ruthy loves it too. Thank you for coordinating her virtual shower π
Heather
Thanks so much Carla! Thanks for participating! Popcorn was such a delicious idea!!
Teresa
You’re trying to kill me with all these gorgeous looking pictures! Looks breathtaking.
Heather
You are so sweet Teresa! Got a camera for Christmas — I am having SOOO much fun with it.
Kelly @ Kelly Bakes
I love love love your decorations! Super cute and the colors match this lovely tart perfectly! You really can’t go wrong with lemon (or anything Irish… or tarts…). Thank you for organizing this virtual baby shower for our pal Ruthy! I had so much fun being a part of it π
Heather
I am thrilled this all came together — thank you so much for contributing!! Now if we could just put all this food on an ACTUAL table…
Alicia
This looks amazing! What a fun way to twist the recipe. This pudding is one of my very favorite recipes, but I’ve never even thought to add a tart crust to it! Thanks so much for linking back to me!
Heather
Oh my gosh Alicia! I LOVED this! I did a test run with your recipe before I forged ahead and it was amazing!!! Thank you!
Kate | Food Babbles
This is awesome! I’ve never heard of a lemon pudding tart before and clearly, being an Irish girl I should be ashamed π This is a must try! I adore all things lemon so this is a must make for me. Yum!
Heather
Well… in your defense, I made the tart part up. The lemon pudding is traditional and authentic — so definitely try it!!! Thanks a million for participating and contributing such an awesome dessert Kate!!
Ashley | CenterCutCook
1. I LOVE your new look! It’s fresh, it’s clean. LOVE!
2. This pudding tart looks fab, AND your photography is gorgeous. Totally impressed!
Heather
Thank you thank you Ashley! That means the world π Have a super weekend!!
Beth
This reminds me of a lemon pudding that my mom used to make when I was a kid, and that I haven’t had in ages. (And her family was Irish – who knew?)
Heather
haha so funny! This started as a pretty traditional recipe from an Irish cookbook so part of it is authentic!
Dina
this looks so yummy.
Heather
Thank you Dina!!
Paula
My second favorite dessert, other than anything cinnamony rolly, is lemon. This is perfect and I can’t wait to try it!
Heather
Thanks so much Paula!!! We have the same taste going on! I love cinnamon rolly stuff! And I love lemon!!!
CindyKaz
Another great dessert to make for our supper club gathering “St. Patrick’s Day/Irish Theme”. I’m sure it will be a hit as all your other recipes have been a hit at our parties. Thank you again for all your hard work. Cindy
JoAnn
Your recipe for the lemon pudding tart does not say what ingredient for the 1 and one fourth what. Is it milk?
Heather Tullos
Hi JoAnn!! So sorry! It’s milk!!! Editing now. Thank you!!!
melissa@mywholefoodlife
This looks soooo good Heather!! Is it wrong I want to eat some for breakfast?
Heather Tullos
That is absolutely not wrong!!!
nicole @ I am a Honey Bee
oo a baked custard consistency… perfection.
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
Love a good lemon recipe! These pictures are great!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
this creamy lemon custard sounds and looks amazing!!!
Ashley - Baker by Nature
This looks delicious!
Courtney Lopez
What a fun dessert – my daughter would loveeee it! π
Michele
I am so making this tomorrow! Really! I have a crafting party to go to and this is going to be my treat to take!