Queen of Puddings

Method

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1. Warm the milk with the butter and lemon zest until the butter melts, then take it off the heat and leave 10 minutes to infuse.

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2. Stir in the breadcrumbs and the 60 g sugar and leave 15 minutes to swell.

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3. Beat in the egg yolks and the salt and pour into a buttered 1.5 litre dish.

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4. Bake at 160C fan / 180C / gas 4 for 30 minutes, until set firm to the touch with no wobble.

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5. Warm the jam with the lemon juice and spread it gently over the set custard.

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6. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks, then add the 200 g sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking to a stiff glossy meringue.

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7. Spoon the meringue over the jam, spreading it right to the edges of the dish to seal, and swirl the top.

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8. Bake a further 20 minutes at 150C fan / 170C / gas 3, until the meringue is crisp and pale gold.

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9. Rest 10 minutes before serving warm.

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Chef’s Tips

• The custard must be fully set before the jam, or the layers merge.
• Warm the jam so it does not drag the custard.
• Meringue right to the edges to seal it.

Pairing Suggestions

• Pouring cream
• Nothing else
• A pot of tea

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 2 days, though the meringue softens. Do not freeze.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.