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Upside-Down Lemon, Maple and Vanilla Pudding Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 113 reviews

This upside-down lemon, maple, and vanilla pudding offers a delightful balance of tangy lemons caramelized under a layer of moist, buttery pudding infused with vanilla and sweetened with pure maple syrup. The pudding is baked in a water bath to ensure a tender, custardy texture. Served warm with a luscious lemon-maple butter sauce and cooling crème fraîche, it’s an elegant dessert perfect for special occasions or cozy gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Pudding and Topping

  • 3 medium lemons, thinly sliced into ¼ cm-thick rounds to get 24 slices, pips removed
  • 165 ml maple syrup
  • 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways, seeds scraped and reserved with the pod
  • 225 g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 tsp salt
  • 225 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, then cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 3 large eggs, plus 1 yolk
  • 225 g light soft brown sugar
  • 60 ml whole milk
  • 240 g crème fraîche, to serve

Lemon-Maple Butter

  • 50 ml lemon juice
  • 120 ml maple syrup
  • 120 g unsalted butter, fridge cold and cut into 1½ cm cubes

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare the Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 170°C fan. Line a baking dish approximately 30cm x 20cm with baking parchment large enough to cover the base, sides, and with enough overhang to fold over the pudding later.
  2. Char the Lemon Slices: Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat until very hot. Char one-third of the lemon slices on both sides for about 1–2 minutes per side, then repeat with the remaining slices until all are charred.
  3. Assemble the Base: Pour 120 ml of the maple syrup and the reserved vanilla pod into the base of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the charred lemon slices evenly on top, overlapping slightly to cover the entire base.
  4. Mix the Pudding Batter: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the softened butter cubes, eggs, additional yolk, vanilla seeds, brown sugar, milk, and the remaining 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of maple syrup. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until combined. The batter may appear slightly split with small butter cubes; this is normal.
  5. Pipe and Cover the Batter: Spoon the batter into a piping bag and pipe evenly over the lemons in the baking dish, ensuring the lemon slices stay in place. Smooth the top gently with the back of a spoon. Fold over the excess parchment to cover the pudding, then wrap the entire dish tightly with foil.
  6. Prepare for Water Bath and Bake: Place the baking dish inside a larger roasting tin (around 40cm x 28cm). Pour boiling water into the roasting tin until it comes about 3 cm up the sides of the baking dish (approximately 1 litre). Bake for 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Rest and Invert: Remove the foil, unwrap the top of the pudding, and carefully lift the baking dish from the water bath. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then invert the pudding onto a serving platter, removing the parchment paper to reveal the caramelized lemon topping.
  8. Make the Lemon-Maple Butter Sauce: In the last 10 minutes of baking, combine the lemon juice and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for about 2 minutes, then reduce heat to low. When no longer simmering, gradually whisk in the cold butter cubes a little at a time, making sure the mixture does not boil. This will create a smooth, emulsified sauce. Remove from heat.
  9. Serve: Drizzle one-third of the lemon-maple butter over the pudding. Serve warm with the remaining lemon-maple butter and crème fraîche on the side for added richness.

Notes

  • Charing the lemons adds a slightly smoky, caramelized flavor that balances the pudding’s sweetness.
  • Using a water bath ensures gentle, even cooking resulting in a tender, custard-like texture.
  • The batter may look slightly split before baking due to butter chunks, but it bakes up smoothly.
  • Be careful not to boil the lemon-maple butter sauce when adding butter to preserve its smooth texture.
  • Allow the pudding to rest before inverting to help it set and maintain shape.

Keywords: lemon pudding, maple syrup dessert, vanilla pudding, upside-down pudding, lemon dessert, baked pudding

Find it online: https://ellaeatsdaily.com/upside-down-lemon-maple-and-vanilla-pudding-recipe/