Queen of Puddings

 As per wiki,Queen of Puddings is a traditional British dessert, consisting of a baked, breadcrumb-thickened mixture, spread with jam and topped with meringue.Milk and lemon zest are heated to boiling in a saucepan. Sugar, butter and breadcrumbs are mixed into the hot milk, which is allowed to cool. Egg yolks and a whole egg are beaten into this mixture, which is transferred into a deep pie dish then baked in a bain-marie until set.

This firm, brownish bread crumb base is then spread with jam, usually raspberry or blackcurrant and a meringue mix made from the reserved egg whites is spooned over the jam. The pudding is returned to the oven and baked until the meringue is golden, but still soft. The pudding is eaten hot. When you get a chance of making this beautiful Queen of puddings, who will resist to give a try to this delightful dessert, i baked mine few months back and today am posting this beauty just i want to clear my draft.Sending to Srivalli's Anniversary Mela.

Again this pudding was one among a baking challenge i have been part of. This pudding goes for three layers. As the Introduction says, a bread crumb - egg mixture makes the first layer then followed by raspberry jam and the jam is topped with a simple egg white mixture aka meringue. Yes this pudding goes for eggs but trust me this pudding will be definitely be a lighter dessert when compared to many cakes which are eggless and butterless. We just enjoyed this pudding when they were slightly warm but my H just loved it when served chilled.Again this elegant dessert goes from this month's Mega marathon as we are running with Baking as theme.

50grms Unsalted butter
1/2cup  Caster sugar
1tbsp  Lemon zest
600ml  Milk
1tsp Vanilla
5nos Fresh white breadcrumbs
4nos Egg yolks
5nos Egg whites
6tbsp Raspberry jam

Take large slices of white bread and cut the sides, put these slices in a zip lock bag and freeze it for an hour.

Cut them as small pieces and grind as bread crumbs.

Preheat oven to 180°C, greease a deep rectangle mould and keep aside.

Combine vanilla, egg yolks and set aside.

In a thick bottomed pan, bring the butter, quarter cup of sugar, lemon zest, milk and a pinch of salt to a gentle simmer.

Let it start to get bubbles on the sides  and the butter melts completely. Immediately remove from heat. Do not let it boil.

Strain the mixture to remove lemon zest.Add the breadcrumbs and keep stirring gently for 10-15 minutes. The mixture will turns thick.

Add the egg yolk-vanilla mixture and keep stirring until the egg yolk mixture is well incorporated.

Pour this into the greased pan and bake for 15 minutes or until just set. Cool on wire rack.

Heat the jam in a small pan until runny.

Spread this jam gently on top of the baked mixture gently with the back of a spoon.

In a large pan, fill water till half and bring it to boil. Now put the remaining sugar and egg whites in another bowl and hold this over the pan of simmering water.

Whisk gently until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is lukewarm.

Now using an electric beater, beat till the whites have formed soft peaks.

Spread this over the raspberry jam layer and make swirls with the spatula.

Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes or until surface becomes lightly browned and crisp.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for a while.

Scoop out and serve warm.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51/a>

An InLinkz Link-up