MANGO AND PASSION FRUIT QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves 8

Queen of puddings is a simple idea – a baked custard, fortified with breadcrumbs, a layer of jam and a topping of meringue. As the jams are always too sweet for me, I have come up with a tarter layer of ‘jam’ that you make in a small pan.

INGREDIENTS For the fruit

– 200g mango flesh,

chopped into chunks – 5 tbsp caster sugar – 65g passion fruit pulp

(M&S sells this in pouches)

For the pudding

– 400ml milk

– 50ml double cream – 100g caster sugar,

plus 1 tbsp

– 85g fresh white

breadcrumbs

– 25g salted butter, cubed, plus extra for the pie dish

– 3 large eggs, separated – finely grated zest of

1 lime

METHOD

Put the mango in a saucepan, add 50ml of water and cook until the mango is soft but hasn’t fallen apart. Add the sugar and stir until it has melted. Stir in the passion fruit. Cook until the mixture is as thick as soft-set jam – if it’s too ‘wet’ it will seep into the custard. Be careful not to let the fruit burn.

Heat the milk, cream and 35g of sugar until just under the boil. Pour over the breadcrumbs and butter in a large bowl. Leave to sit for 30 minutes, then beat the egg yolks and add to the milk mixture with the lime zest. Combine well.

Preheat the oven to 180C/170C fan/gas mark 4. Butter a one-litre pudding dish and pour in the mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the surface is set.

Take the pudding out of the oven and let it cool a little. Spoon the ‘jam’

on to the baked custard, being careful not to puncture the surface.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, then beat in the remaining sugar (holding back the extra spoonful). Spread over the pudding, starting at the sides, making sure the meringue covers the edges. Tease the surface into peaks.

Sprinkle over the extra sugar. Put the pudding back in the oven for 18-20 minutes – it should be golden. Leave to cool a little, then serve warm with cream.