Recipe: Lemon Custard Cakes (with wheat free and dairy free options)

LEMON CUSTARD CAKES

As written, this recipe has no corn, soy, nuts, or yeast. They can easily be made gluten, wheat, and dairy free too with the substitutions listed below. Texture may be a little bit different with the substitutions, but still tasty.

1/4 cup unbleached flour
2 Tbsp canola or safflower oil
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
dash sea salt
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tsp grated lemon peel
3 stiff beaten egg whites
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon juice
boiling water

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place 8 ungreased custard cups down into a baking pan. Most baking pans will only accomodate 6, so you will need to use 2 baking pans. Set a kettle or pan of water on the stove and bring to boiling, then turn off.

Combine the flour, sugar, sea salt and grated lemon peel in a large bowl. Add the oil and stir to combine. Add the lemon juice and stir again to combine. In a small bowl, combine the milk and egg yolks, then add to the mixture in the other bowl.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the other ingredients. Do not beat or over-mix! The egg whites should float near the top of the ingredients. Using a ladle, divid the mixture among the 8 custard cups. Place the baking pans containing the custard cups on te middle rack of the oven, then carefully pour the hot water into the baking pans, around the custard cups. About 1/2 to 3/4-inch is sufficient. This will keep the custard nice and soft.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the tops just start to brown a little. Remove from oven and let them cool just a little before serving.

FOR GLUTEN AND WHEAT FREE:
Use 2 Tbsp white rice flour or tapioca flour instead of the wheat flour.

FOR DAIRY FREE:
Use an equal amount of soy, rice or nut milk in place of the cows milk.