Queen of puddings
Whip up an indulgent British classic pudding, made by soaking breadcrumbs in hot milk and adding meringue and jam. It's the perfect comforting dessert
Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Put eight ramekins in a deep baking tray and set aside. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into a saucepan, then drop in the pod and tip in the cream and milk. Warm over a low heat, stirring often until simmering. Strain into a bowl or jug, discarding the pod.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a heatproof bowl until creamy. While the cream mixture is still quite hot, slowly pour it over the egg mixture, stirring continuously. Pour the mixture back into a jug, then divide between the ramekins (there should be about 125ml in each ramekin).
Half-fill the tray with hot water so it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins, then transfer to the oven and bake for 30-40 mins until the custard is set. Leave to cool completely, then chill for at least 3 hrs. Will keep chilled overnight.
Sprinkle about 1 tsp sugar over each ramekin, then caramelise the tops using a kitchen blowtorch (or slide under a hot grill, watching carefully to ensure they don’t burn). Leave to stand for about 2 mins until the sugar has set and firmed up, then serve immediately. Best served the day they’re made.