CHRISTMAS QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

The only things that are remotely Christmassy about this are that I use marmalade (sweetened with golden syrup) in place of the more usual jam, replace the lemon zest with orange zest (the smell of oranges always feels Christmassy to me) and I make the crumbs (in the processor as normal) not out of bread but out of pandoro, one of those yeasty cakes (this one’s unfruited) which Italians eat in significant numbers, as we do too these days, at this time of year. You don’t need to get pandoro, you could just as easily use brioche, or indeed the normal white breadcrumbs. And since Christmas is very much the season for declassé liqueurs, I would serve this with double cream with a hint of Grand Marnier or Cointreau whipped up into it. Serves 4-6

150g (5½oz) pandoro breadcrumbs 1½tsp caster sugar

Zest of 1 orange, preferably organic

1-2 drops of orange-flower water (optional)

575ml (1pt) full-fat milk

40g (1½oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing dish

5 eggs, separated

3-5tbsp good-quality fine-cut marmalade

1-2tsp golden syrup

125g (4½oz) caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

Put the pandoro breadcrumbs, the caster sugar and the orange zest with 1-2 drops of orange-flower water, if using, in a bowl. Heat the milk and butter in a pan until hot but just not boiling and then stir into the bowl of flavoured crumbs. Leave to steep for 10 minutes and then thoroughly beat in the egg yolks.

Grease a shallow dish (I use a round dish about 10cm deep, 25cm in diameter because that’s what I’ve got, but an oval dish is traditional) with butter and pour in the crumb custard. Bake at 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3 for 20-30 minutes, depending on depth of the dish.

When it’s ready, the custard should be set on top, but may still be runny underneath. Let it stand out of the oven for a few minutes so that the top of the custard gets a bit harder while you turn your attention to the marmalade and egg whites.

Heat the marmalade in a pan. Add 1-2tsp golden syrup to the hot marmalade and then pour over the surface of the custard. Meanwhile whisk the egg whites until stiff and then whisk in half the sugar. In a few seconds the egg whites will become smooth and gleaming, and then fold in the remaining sugar with a metal spoon.

Cover your pudding with the meringue mixture, sprinkle with sugar and then put it back in the oven for 20 minutes, until the meringue is browned and crispish.