February 11 2025
Here’s our ‘very lemony’ take on a Queen of puddings. For that extra zing we’re swapping out the traditional jam for a lovely sharp lemon curd, however there’s no reason it wouldn’t work with marmalade too. We’re using up fresh white breadcrumbs here, but if you want to push the boat out you could use pantone or croissant crumbs instead.
Serve 6 – 8
Ingredients
- 100g of fine white breadcrumbs
- 50g unsalted butter, soft (plus extra for greasing)
- 75g caster sugar
- 400ml whole milk
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
- A pinch of fine sea salt
- 4 large Respectful egg yolks
- 150g lemon curd
For the Meringue topping
- 4 large egg whites
- 100g caster sugar (plus a little extra for sprinkling)
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 150.c fan and lightly butter a 1.5 ltr pie dish
2. In a saucepan, gently warm the milk with the butter, lemon zest, sugar and a pinch of salt, stirring until the butter has melted. In a separate jug, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then pour the warm milk mixture over them, whisking as you go. Pour this custard over the breadcrumbs, stirring them gently. Let it sit for 8 – 10 minutes so the crumbs can soak up the custard.
3. Spoon the custard mixture into your prepared dish. Place the dish into the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the surface is lightly set, with the custard beneath still touch wobbly.
4. While the base is baking, combine the lemon curd with the lemon juice.
5. For the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a nice clean bowl, until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the caster sugar, a little at a time, whisking until the meringue is thick, glossy, and holds firm peaks.
6. When the base has come out of the oven and cooled slightly, spoon the lemon curd over the custard layer.
7. Spoon the meringue over the lemon curd, bringing it up to the edges of the dish. Use the back of a spoon to create soft peaks and troughs (which will help give a lovely texture) then scatter over a little caster sugar.
8. Return the dish to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes, or until the meringue is golden and crisp. Let the pudding stand for 10-15 minutes before serving, so the layers settle into each other.
9. Serve warm, scooping out generous spoonfuls, and let the tangy lemon and pillowy meringue speak of quiet comfort and simple pleasures.
Find more delicious recipes here!
