Lemon pudding cakes

Flour, all purpose	½ cup
Salt, fine	½ teaspoon
Eggs, separated	3
Sugar	¾ cup + ¼ cup
Lemon zest, grated	1 teaspoon
Lemon juice	1/3 cup
Milk, whole	1 1/3 cup
Water, hot

1. Preheat to 350°F; place eight ½-cup ramekins in a large baking dish. 
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. 
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the yolks with ¾ cup sugar until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. 
4. Stir in the flour with a spatula, and beat with mixer for 2 minutes until very thick. 
5. Stir in the zest, juice, and milk; mush out any large lumps. 
6. In another large bowl, using a mixer with clean blades, beat the whites until foamy. 
7. Sprinkle in ¼ cup sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. 
8. Using a spatula, add ¼ of the whites to the yolk mixture. 
9. Gently fold in the rest of the whites until no streaks are visible. 
10. Divide evenly into the ramekins, place in the oven, and fill the baking dish with hot water halfway up the ramekins. 
11. Bake until the centers are firm to the touch and the edges pull away slightly from the sides of the ramekins, about 40 to 45 minutes. 
12. Remove from the oven but leave in the water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Recipe adapted from The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book.