Preheat your oven to 170°C (fan-assisted) or 190°C conventional. While it heats, generously grease four 200 ml ramekins with butter or a neutral oil. Place them on a baking tray—this makes sliding them in and out of the oven much easier and catches any accidental drips.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, caster sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, vanilla extract, and salt. Use a fork or a balloon whisk to mix everything together. At first, the cottage cheese will look lumpy, but keep stirring. After about thirty seconds, the mixture will become smooth, pale yellow, and slightly frothy on top. You should smell the bright, clean scent of lemon as you work.

Divide the batter evenly among the four ramekins. Each ramekin should be about three-quarters full. The batter will be thin and pourable, like a loose pancake batter. Tap each ramekin gently on the worktop to release any trapped air bubbles—you will see a few small bubbles rise to the surface and pop.

Place the baking tray with the ramekins into the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. At the 20-minute mark, check them: the edges should be set and lightly golden, while the centre will still wobble like a gentle jelly when you nudge the ramekin. The surface will be pale gold, and you will notice the pudding pulling away slightly from the sides of the dish.

Remove the tray from the oven and let the puddings rest on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. During this time, the residual heat continues to set the centre. You will see the tops settle and become slightly domed. If you serve them too early, they will be runny in the middle—patience is rewarded here.

Dust with icing sugar through a fine sieve, if using, and add a few fresh berries or a spoonful of thick yoghurt. Serve warm, directly in the ramekins. The texture should be like a soft, creamy cheesecake—spoonable, with a slight resistance from the cottage cheese curds, and a bright, tangy finish that lingers on your tongue.