Queen of Puddings

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.2-litre shallow baking dish (ceramic or earthenware)
• •Heavy-bottomed saucepan for warming the milk
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Clean, grease-free bowl for whisking egg whites
• •Electric hand whisk or stand mixer
• •Fine grater or microplane for lemon zest

Instructions

1. 1

   Warm the milk

   Pour the milk into a heavy pan with the butter and the lemon zest. Warm it over a gentle heat until the butter has melted completely and the milk is hot but nowhere near boiling. You want it at the point where you can smell the lemon lifting from the pan and the butter has gone quietly into the milk. Take it off the heat.

   Unwaxed lemons matter here. The zest is the backbone of the custard's flavour, and waxed fruit leaves a dull, slightly chemical note behind.
2. 2

   Soak the breadcrumbs

   Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and pour the warm lemony milk over the top. Stir once, then leave them alone for ten minutes. The bread will drink up most of the milk and settle into something soft and thick, like a very gentle porridge. It should smell like warm butter and lemon peel.

3. 3

   Enrich with yolks

   Whisk the egg yolks with the 50g of sugar and a pinch of salt until they lighten a shade. Stir them into the breadcrumb mixture gently, without beating any air in. You're making a loose custard, pale and fragrant, that will set around the bread as it bakes.

   Keep the egg whites somewhere cool and covered. They need to be ready to whisk later and clean bowls are essential, so don't get them mixed up with anything greasy.
4. 4

   Bake the base

   Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan. Butter a 1.2-litre baking dish generously and pour the breadcrumb mixture in. Slide it onto the middle shelf and bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes. You're looking for a custard that is just set: firm to a gentle press in the middle, no liquid wobble underneath, the top gone pale gold. Take it out and let it rest for a few minutes while you see to the jam.

5. 5

   Spread the jam

   Warm the raspberry jam in a small pan over a low heat until it loosens into something spoonable. If it's particularly stiff, a teaspoon of water helps. Spoon it gently over the baked custard and spread it to the edges with the back of a spoon. Go slowly. The custard underneath is delicate and you don't want to tear it. A few pale patches are fine; nobody's marking you.

6. 6

   Whisk the meringue

   In a spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks that flop over when you lift the whisk. Begin adding the 100g of sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking well between each addition. Keep going until the meringue is stiff, glossy, and holds firm peaks that stand up when you lift the whisk. Rub a little between your finger and thumb. If it feels gritty, keep whisking. Smooth is what you want.

   Room temperature egg whites whisk up higher and faster than cold ones. If you've just taken them from the fridge, set the bowl in a sink of warm water for a minute before you start.
7. 7

   Crown and finish

   Turn the oven down to 150C/130C fan. Spoon the meringue over the jam in generous, uneven heaps, swooping it into soft peaks with the back of the spoon. Don't flatten it. The peaks are the whole point, and they're what will catch the colour in the oven. Return the dish to the middle shelf and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes, until the peaks have gone pale gold and the valleys between them are still white. The meringue should feel set to the touch, not sticky. Serve warm, straight from the dish, with a jug of very cold double cream on the table for anyone who wants it.

Chef Tips

• •The bread matters more than you'd think. Use a good day-old white loaf with a close crumb, cut the crusts off, and make the breadcrumbs yourself in a processor or by grating. Supermarket bagged crumbs will do at a push, but they have a dusty character that never quite goes away.
• •Good raspberry jam is the soul of this pudding. A homemade jar from the summer is best, and this is exactly the kind of evening you made it for. If you're buying, look for one with a high fruit content and no unnecessary thickeners. Damson or quince jam work beautifully too, if that's what the cupboard has.
• •The meringue wants a clean bowl and a little patience. Any trace of fat, a smear of yolk, a greasy spoon, will stop the whites from rising properly. Glass or metal, wiped with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar, gives you the best start.
• •Serve it warm, not hot. Let it rest for five minutes out of the oven so the custard beneath has time to settle. A jug of cold double cream on the table is not optional, in my kitchen at least. The contrast between warm pudding and cold cream is what turns a good thing into something people remember.

Advance Preparation

• •The breadcrumbs can be made a day ahead and kept in a sealed container in a cool, dry place.
• •The custard base, up to the point of baking, can be mixed an hour or two ahead and left covered at room temperature. Give it a gentle stir before pouring into the dish.
• •This is not a make-ahead pudding in its finished form. The meringue is at its best within an hour of coming out of the oven, so plan to bake it around the time you sit down to dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)