Mary’s Queen of Puddings (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Mary’s Queen of Puddings

3:41pm Thursday 11th October 2012 in Freetime

Ingredients

600ml full-fat milk
25g unsalted butter
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
225g caster sugar
3 large free-range eggs, at room temperature, separated
75g fresh white breadcrumbs

FOR THE JAM:
200g mixed summer fruits (raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrants
and redcurrants) or 500g frozen mixed berries
200g caster sugar, or to taste

You will also need 1 x 1.4 litre capacity shallow ovenproof dish,
buttered; a roasting tin; a piping bag fitted with a plain or star tube (or
a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped off )

To make the custard base, very gently warm the milk in a small pan.
Add the butter, lemon zest and 50g of the sugar and stir until the
butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Lightly whisk the egg yolks
in a large heatproof mixing bowl, then gradually whisk in the warm
milk mixture. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the base of the buttered
dish, then pour over the custard. Leave to stand for about 15 minutes
so the breadcrumbs can absorb the liquid. Meanwhile, preheat the
oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3.

Carefully set the dish in the roasting tin and pour enough hot water
into the tin to come halfway up the side of the dish. Bake for 25-30
minutes until the custard base is firm and set. Remove from the oven
and lift the dish from the roasting tin and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
Leave the oven on, but reduce the temperature to
150°C/300°F/Gas 2.

While the custard base is cooling, make the jam. Put the mixed
fruits into a pan and warm over low heat until they have softened and
released their juices. Add the sugar and continue to cook gently,
stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until you have a jam-like
consistency (if using frozen berries, they will release more liquid, so
will take longer to cook to a jam-like consistency).
Put the egg whites into a large bowl and whisk with a hand-held
electric mixer on full speed until stiff. Whisk in the remaining sugar a
teaspoon at a time, still on full speed, to make a very stiff and glossy
meringue. Spoon the meringue into the piping bag fitted with the plain
or star tube. Spread 4-5 tablespoons of the fruit jam over the custard
base, then pipe the meringue on top to cover the jam completely.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the meringue is pale golden and crisp.
Serve immediately, with a jug of pouring cream.