Queen of Puddings Recipe

How to prepare Queen of Puddings recipe. It can be done with just a little effort.Like Steamed Syrup Sponge and Nursery Pudding this is another very old classic English dessert that has several variations. This is the easiest - surprise, surprise - and if you want to make it in advance, let the pudding cool down once the custard has been baked at step 6; keep it in the fridge then let it stand at room temperature for about half an hour before you top with the meringue and finish it off in the oven. Here are ingredients and directions:

QUICK QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

INGREDIENTS :
1⁄2 lb (225 g) sponge cake
1 pint (600 ml) milk
2 dessertspoons of sugar
3-4 tablespoons of raspberry or apricot jam, or lemon curd
2 eggs, separated
2 tsp vanilla extract
Butter

DIRECTIONS :

1. Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan over a medium heat.

2. Meanwhile separate the eggs and keep the whites covered in the fridge for later. Beat the egg yolks together with the vanilla extract in another cup or small bowl, and in a large bowl break the sponge cake up into crumbs with your hands.

3. Butter a medium-sized oven dish all over and spread a fairly thick layer of jam or lemon curd across the bottom.

4. As soon as the milk is hot enough - it doesn't have to come right up to the boil, but there should be bubbles, or a thin, crinkly skin forming on the surface - pour it into the large bowl with the cake crumbs and mix well.

5. Stand the bowl by an open window to cool for about 5 minutes; meanwhile preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 (180ºC).

6. As soon as the milk and sponge mixture has cooled down a bit stir in the egg yolks and vanilla extract then pour the custard into the oven dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until just set. ( When you take the custard out, turn the oven down to its lowest setting.)

7. Allow the custard to cool for a few minutes.

8. Whisk the egg whites and half the sugar with an electric hand whisk until the meringue is standing up in stiff peaks. Add the rest of the sugar and gently fold it in with a metal spoon.

9. Spoon the meringue over the top of the custard, making sure the surface is covered; fluff the meringue up with a blunt knife or make swirls with a fork to make it look good. (Or pipe the meringue on with a star-shaped nozzle.)

10. Bake the pudding in a very cool oven for about 45 minutes to one hour until the meringue is crisp, dried out and very slightly golden in places, and the custard has warmed through. Serve with evaporated milk or single cream.

Follow this directions carefully. Hope you like this unique dessert recipe and Bon Apetit.