Queen of puddings

Method

• step 1

  Warm the milk in a small saucepan over a low heat until simmering, then remove from the heat and stir in the butter, lemon zest, breadcrumbs and 40g of the caster sugar. Leave to soak for 30 mins until the crumbs have absorbed the liquid and cooled.

• step 2

  Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a medium-large baking or pie dish (ours was 22cm). Once the breadcrumb mixture has cooled, stir in the egg yolks and pour into the baking dish. Bake for 30 mins until the mixture has set, similar to a custard. Warm the jam in a small saucepan over a low heat to loosen, then spread this over the base. It should be a thin layer, so you may need less jam if your dish is deeper. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/140C fan/gas 2.

• step 3

  Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks in a clean bowl using an electric whisk, or stand mixer. Whisk in the remaining 150g caster sugar, a little at a time, until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue is glossy and stands upright. Spoon or pipe the meringue over the jam layer and bake for another 20-30 mins until the meringue is golden and set. Best served warm.