Recipe 3: February 2012

Serves 4

2 lemons from Menton

3 eggs

1 pinch of salt

60g caster sugar

50g icing sugar

4 ramekins 8cm in diameter

With a brush, butter the insides of four ramekins and sprinkle with caster sugar, while taking care not to leave fingerprints on the lined surface. Gently turn the ramekins to prevent a build up of excess sugar.

Tip: put the ramekins in the refrigerator for a few minutes before buttering.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Peel the zest of two lemons, taking care not to take the bitter white pith. Cut finely. Squeeze the juice of one of the lemons. Separate the yolks from three eggs. Whisk the yolks vigorously with 50g caster sugar until the mixture is pale and frothy. Add the lemon zest. In a separate bowl, beat the three egg whites with one pinch of salt until stiff.

Towards the end, whip in 10g caster sugar and gradually add the lemon juice.

Working quickly but gently, add some of the egg white mixture to the egg yolks and stir, very gently, with a spatula, gradually adding all of the egg whites until it is all combined.

Carefully fill the ramekins with the mixture, smoothing the top so it is flat. Sprinkle lightly with icing sugar.
Place the ramekins on a baking tray and place in the oven - at mid-height - and cook for seven minutes at 180 degrees celsius.

Serve immediately.