Queen of Puddings

Ingredients: 750 ml cream/milk mix (500ml cream + 250ml milk — or perhaps the other way around for a lighter version) Zest and juice of 1 large lemon 50g butter 200g cake crumbs (can in a fix even be made with leftover banana bread crumbs – just pulse in a food processor) 4 egg yolks 50ml apricot jam (could be substituted, but one needs a jam with good acidity) 4 egg whites 200 g castor sugar Set the oven to 180°C. Butter a medium-large ceramic ovenproof dish generously. Bring the milk/cream mix to the boil — add the cake crumbs and let it sit off the heat until cool to allow the crumbs time to absorb the liquid thoroughly. Once cooled add the lemon juice, zest, butter and the egg yolks. Beat slightly to amalgamate. Pour into the buttered oven dish and bake in a bain- marie for about 40 minutes or until the custard has set and the surface is firm. Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes to firm up. Spread the top with the softened jam (place in the microwave for a few seconds to melt, stir halfway through) and cover generously with big puffs of meringue (beat the egg whites to soft peak, then add the castor sugar and continue beating until very glossy and firm).

Bake again for about 15 minutes in a slightly warmer oven (200°C) or until the meringue is nice and golden. Even though the pudding can be eaten straight from the oven, it generally benefits from resting a bit and being served somewhat later after it has had time to cool.