Queen of Puddings

By luvs2cook

Ingredients

• PUDDING
• 8 fl oz full cream milk
• 8 fl oz heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 oz superfine sugar
• 5 large egg yolks
• 5 oz fresh breadcrumbs
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 7 oz of either jam, fruit preserve, or fruit compote
• MERINGUE
• 5 egg whites
• 4 oz superfine sugar
• 1 tbsp powder/icing sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 310°F Lightly butter a 3 ½ pint ovenproof dish.

Place the milk, cream and vanilla extract into a saucepan and slowly bring to a gentle boil.

In a roomy bowl whisk the sugar with the egg yolks until light and fluffy. Still whisking, slowly add the warmed milk and cream to the egg mixture taking care not to splash. Finally add the breadcrumbs and the lemon zest.

Place the jam or chosen fruit into the bottom of the greased pudding dish then pour the egg and breadcrumb mixture; you can omit the jam and use it later in the recipe if you choose.

Bake the pudding in the oven for 15 - 20 mins or until the mixture is risen and almost set yet still slightly wobbly. Remove the pudding from the oven and leave to cool.

Raise the oven to 375°F

Make the Meringue. In a large, clean roomy baking bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Whisk in the sugar one tbsp at a time. If you haven't used your fruit filling in the base of the pudding, warm it gently in a microwave or warmed through in a pan and spread it carefully over the cooled base then cover with a thick layer of meringue.

Sprinkle liberally with the powder/icing sugar,place in the hot oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the surface is crisp and lightly browned.

Serve immediately.