Queen of Puddings

Ingredients:

For Custard:

Softened, unsalted butter - 30 - 40 grams ( a little for greasing the dish )
Castor sugar - 50 grams
Lemon zest - 1 tablespoon
Milk - 600 ml (full cream )
Vanilla - 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh bread crumbs - 75 grams ( Do not use browned bread crumbs )
Egg yolks - 4
salt - a pinch

Fruity layer:

Raspberry jam/preserve - 4-6 tablespoon

For Meringue:

Castor sugar -150 grams
Egg whites - 5

Preparation:

Pre heat oven, 180 degree C. Butter a one litre oven-proof dish.

Custard:

Combine egg yolks and vanilla and keep aside.

Heat milk, butter, sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt.. Use a thick bottomed pan for the purpose.When the butter just melts remove the pan from heat. Do not boil. If the lemon zest added are small pieces, strain to remove them now. Otherwise skip this step.

Now add the bread crumbs and keep stirring till the mixture thickens. Allow to cool and come down to room temperature

When the mix has cooled enough add the egg yolks and mix thoroughly.

Pour this into the buttered pan and bake for 15 minutes or until the custard is just set. Cool on a wire rack

Fruity layer:

Heat the fruit preserve in a small pan until it is runny. Don't burn the preserve.

Spread this on the custard layer very carefully, without breaking the custard surface.

Meringue:

In a large pan fill water till half, bring it to a boil. Take another saucepan add sugar and egg whites into it. Hold this saucepan over the large pan of simmering water. Gently whisk so that the sugar dissolves. (The sauce pan must be held over the large vessel, do not place it in the boiling water.)

Once the sugar is dissolved remove from heat and beat the egg whites using an electric beater until it forms soft peaks. Spread this over the jam layer OR you can pipe the meringue over the jam layer into definite peaks.

Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the surface becomes lightly brown. Let it cool a bit.
Serve warm.

This is a traditional British Pudding.