Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Queen of Puddings
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
1 hour
35 mins
1 hour 40 mins
Serves:
8 individual puddings
Yannis created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 17. His take on the British nursery classic layers a lemon and vanilla bread custard, a seam of raspberry jam and a soft meringue crown, made as individual puddings. This version raises the breadcrumbs and soaks them before baking, so the...
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Ingredients
FOR THE BREAD CUSTARD BASE: 125 g (about 2 1/2 cups, lightly packed) fresh white breadcrumbs, from day-old white bread, crusts removed 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) whole milk 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 4 large egg yolks (whites reserved for the meringue) 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract Pinch of fine salt
FOR THE JAM LAYER: 1/2 cup (160 g) seedless raspberry jam
FOR THE MERINGUE: 4 large egg whites (120 g), at room temperature, with no trace of yolk 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional) 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (175 g) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
TO FINISH: 1 tsp caster sugar
EQUIPMENT: Food processor Eight 6-oz (175 ml) ovenproof ramekins, about 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) across Roasting pan large enough to hold all eight ramekins Medium saucepan Fine grater Large bowl Stand mixer with whisk attachment Piping bag with a large star or round tip
Method
STEP 1: MAKE THE BREADCRUMBS
Tear day-old white bread, crusts removed, into the food processor and blitz to fine, even crumbs. Weigh out 125 g (about 2 1/2 cups, lightly packed). Use fresh crumbs, not dried, so they absorb the custard.
STEP 2: INFUSE THE MILK
Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C), or 300°F (150°C) fan. Butter the ramekins and stand them in the roasting pan. Warm the milk, butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest in the saucepan until the butter melts and the milk is hot, about 175°F (80°C). Do not let it boil.
STEP 3: SOAK THE CRUMBS
Put the crumbs in the large bowl, pour the warm milk over them, stir well and leave for 10 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks, vanilla extract and salt together, then stir into the crumb mixture and leave for another 10 minutes. The crumbs should swell and take up most of the liquid, so the mixture looks like a loose, thick porridge with only a little free custard.
STEP 4: BAKE THE BASE
Divide the mixture evenly among the eight ramekins; it should fill each about two-thirds deep. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the custard is just set with a slight wobble in the very center. Lift the ramekins out of the water and raise the oven to 350°F (175°C), or 325°F (165°C) fan.
STEP 5: SPREAD A THIN JAM LAYER
Warm the raspberry jam until spreadable. Spoon 1 level tablespoon onto each warm base and spread it to the edges in a thin layer. Keep it thin: it is a seam of sharpness between the custard and the meringue.
STEP 6: WHISK THE MERINGUE
Whisk the egg whites, with the cream of tartar if using, to soft peaks. With the mixer running, add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, then whisk on high for 4–5 minutes, until the meringue is stiff, glossy and smooth when rubbed between your fingers.
STEP 7: PIPE AND BAKE THE MERINGUE
Pipe a swirl of meringue onto each pudding, starting at the edge so it seals against the dish, and build it to a peak about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) high. Scatter over the finishing caster sugar. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the ridges are pale gold and the meringue is crisp outside and soft within.
STEP 8: SERVE
Rest for 5 minutes and serve warm, so each spoonful takes in soft bread custard, a little jam and light meringue.
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Instructions
FOR THE BREAD CUSTARD BASE:
125 g (about 2 1/2 cups, lightly packed) fresh white breadcrumbs, from day-old white bread, crusts removed
2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) whole milk
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4 large egg yolks (whites reserved for the meringue)
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
Pinch of fine salt
FOR THE JAM LAYER:
1/2 cup (160 g) seedless raspberry jam
FOR THE MERINGUE:
4 large egg whites (120 g), at room temperature, with no trace of yolk
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (/interesting-ingredients/cream-of-tartar)(optional)
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (175 g) caster sugar (/interesting-ingredients/caster-sugar)(superfine sugar)
TO FINISH:
1 tsp caster sugar(/interesting-ingredients/caster-sugar)
EQUIPMENT:
Food processor
Eight 6-oz (175 ml) ovenproof ramekins, about 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) across
Roasting pan large enough to hold all eight ramekins
Medium saucepan
Fine grater
Large bowl
Stand mixer with whisk attachment
Piping bag with a large star or round tip
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MAKE THE BREADCRUMBS
Tear day-old white bread, crusts removed, into the food processor and blitz to fine, even crumbs. Weigh out 125 g (about 2 1/2 cups, lightly packed). Use fresh crumbs, not dried, so they absorb the custard.
STEP 2: INFUSE THE MILK
Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C), or 300°F (150°C) fan. Butter the ramekins and stand them in the roasting pan. Warm the milk, butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest in the saucepan until the butter melts and the milk is hot, about 175°F (80°C). Do not let it boil.
STEP 3: SOAK THE CRUMBS
Put the crumbs in the large bowl, pour the warm milk over them, stir well and leave for 10 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks, vanilla extract and salt together, then stir into the crumb mixture and leave for another 10 minutes. The crumbs should swell and take up most of the liquid, so the mixture looks like a loose, thick porridge with only a little free custard.
STEP 4: BAKE THE BASE
Divide the mixture evenly among the eight ramekins; it should fill each about two-thirds deep. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the custard is just set with a slight wobble in the very center. Lift the ramekins out of the water and raise the oven to 350°F (175°C), or 325°F (165°C) fan.
STEP 5: SPREAD A THIN JAM LAYER
Warm the raspberry jam until spreadable. Spoon 1 level tablespoon onto each warm base and spread it to the edges in a thin layer. Keep it thin: it is a seam of sharpness between the custard and the meringue.
STEP 6: WHISK THE MERINGUE
Whisk the egg whites, with the cream of tartar if using, to soft peaks. With the mixer running, add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, then whisk on high for 4–5 minutes, until the meringue is stiff, glossy and smooth when rubbed between your fingers.
STEP 7: PIPE AND BAKE THE MERINGUE
Pipe a swirl of meringue onto each pudding, starting at the edge so it seals against the dish, and build it to a peak about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) high. Scatter over the finishing caster sugar. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the ridges are pale gold and the meringue is crisp outside and soft within.
STEP 8: SERVE
Rest for 5 minutes and serve warm, so each spoonful takes in soft bread custard, a little jam and light meringue.
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