Queen of puddings
- 80g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 300ml milk
- 300ml cream
- zest of 1 lemon
- 60g unsalted butter
- 4 egg yolks
- 60g castor sugar
- 2 tbsp brandy or sherry
- 6 heaped tbsp homemade jam of distinctive flavour (blackberry, sour cherry, red plum, apricot, etc)
Meringue topping
- 4 egg whites
- 50g castor sugar
This old-fashioned pudding has heaps of fans. Consisting of simple, everyday ingredients, it is easy to make and light in texture, with a baked meringue topping that looks very fancy. I have suggested individual puddings, but it can also be made in a 1.5-litre, oval pie dish.
Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Butter the pudding moulds.
Place breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat milk, cream, zest and butter until butter has melted. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, sugar and brandy or sherry. Whisk hot milk/cream mix into egg yolk mix and pour over the breadcrumbs, stirring well. Allow to stand and swell for 30 minutes.
Ladle into the buttered dishes and set them in a deep baking dish. Set the baking dish on the pulled-out centre rack of the oven and pour in boiling water to come halfway up the pudding dishes. Bake for 20 minutes until firm in the centre. (If making a large pudding, expect it to bake for about 35 minutes). Remove carefully and lift basins out of water and on to a baking slide. Allow to cool for a few minutes while you gently warm the jam. Spoon jam evenly over each pudding.
To make the meringue: Whisk whites until stiff and then beat in the sugar in 2 lots. Spoon or pipe the meringue on the puddings, flicking up bits to look fancy. Return puddings to the oven for a further 10 minutes to brown the meringue. Serve with thick cream.
Variation: One could be even fancier and spread a layer of lemon curd and then a layer of jam.
Makes 6 individual puddings (250ml capacity)
