Lemon spongettes

Beat the eggs whites with an electric mixer until stiff, about 5 minutes. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk.

Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. The mixture will be a bit pebbly, not silky, as there is such a small amount of butter. Add the flour, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Add the combined milk and egg yolks. You may need to manually whisk the mixture to get it smooth. Fold in the egg whites.

Pour the mixture evenly into 8 ramekins. (Ours were about 3 січень / 2-inches in diameter.) Set the ramekins in a large baking dish (use two if they do not fit) and carefully pour in enough hot water to rise about one-third to halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The tops should be light, golden brown. Remove from water bath, and allow the spongettes to cool slightly, in the ramekins, then transfer them to the refrigerator for an hour or two. Chilling them will help the custard to set.

To serve, run a knife around the edge of the ramekin to loosen the spongette, and invert it onto a plate. Top with whipped cream, berries, or chocolate shavings.