QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

Preparation time 30 mins Cooking time 25 mins Serves 8

Cooking oil spray, to grease 200g packed stale brioche

breadcrumbs, crust removed 150g hazelnuts, freshly ground ½ tsp ground cinnamon Finely grated zest of ½ orange 1½ Tbsp caster sugar, plus extra 180g

4 free-range eggs, separated 750ml full-cream milk

80g unsalted butter, chopped 3 tsp vanilla essence

½ cup fig jam

Juice of ½ a lemon

100g hazelnuts, shaved,

lightly toasted

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Lightly grease 8 ramekins with cooking oil.

STEP 2 In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, ground hazelnuts, cinnamon, orange zest and caster sugar and mix until combined, set aside.

STEP 3 Put egg yolks in a large bowl. Combine milk and butter in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat until almost boiling. Add vanilla, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour ½ cup of warm milk mixture into egg yolks, whisking until combined, then slowly add remaining milk mixture, whisking until just combined.

STEP 4 Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients, stir to combine, and leave to sit for 10 minutes. Use a ladle to fill ramekins with batter. Place on a large oven tray, and bake for 15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and increase temperature to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional).

STEP 5 Put fig jam and lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until combined and loosened slightly. Carefully and evenly spoon warm jam over the top of puddings.

STEP 6 Meanwhile add egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and mix on medium setting until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high, adding extra caster sugar a little at a time, beating for 3-4 minutes until sugar is fully dissolved and meringue is smooth and glossy.

STEP 7 Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a plain round nozzle with a small 5mm opening. (Be careful not to overfill the bag, it’s better to refill as you go.) Pipe an equal amount of meringue onto each pudding. Sprinkle hazelnuts around the edges of meringue. Bake for 10 minutes or until top is golden, keep a close eye on them to ensure they do not burn. Serve warm.

Queen of puddings