Queen Of Pudding Cakes Food

MARY BERRY'S QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3 and grease a 1.4 litre/2½ pint shallow ovenproof dish (one that will fit into a roasting tin) with butter.
• For the base, very gently warm the milk in a small saucepan. Add the butter, lemon zest and the 50g/2oz of sugar, stir until dissolved.
• Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly pour the warm milk into the eggs, while whisking.
• Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the base of the buttered dish and pour over the custard. Leave to stand for about 15 minutes, so the breadcrumbs absorb the liquid.
• Carefully transfer the dish to a roasting tin and fill the tin halfway with hot water. Bake the custard in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes until the custard has set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little.
• Meanwhile, put the mixed summer fruits into a pan and warm over a gentle heat. Once they've softened and released their juice, add the sugar and cook for a further three minutes.
• Heat gently until you have a jam-like consistency. If you are using frozen berries they will release more liquid so you might need to cook for longer to thicken to the right jam consistency.
• Whisk the egg whites using an electric hand whisk on full speed until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Add the remaining 175g/6oz sugar a teaspoon at a time, still whisking on maximum speed until the mixture is stiff and shiny. Transfer the meringue mixture to a piping bag.
• Spread 4-5 tablespoons of the fruit jam over the set custard, then pipe the meringue on top.
• Lower the oven temperature to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2 and return the pudding to the oven (not in the roasting tin with water) for about 25-30 minutes until the meringue is pale golden all over and crisp. Serve at once with pouring cream.

EASY QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3½. Lightly grease the pie dish with butter.
• Gently heat the milk in a small saucepan. Add the lemon zest, butter and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then gradually pour in the warmed milk mixture, whisking continuously. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and gently stir in the breadcrumbs. Leave for 15 minutes so the breadcrumbs can soak up the liquid. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• Heat the jam and raspberries gently in a small saucepan until the raspberries break down, crushing them slightly with the back of a wooden spoon. Spread the jam mixture evenly over the base in the dish.
• Increase the oven temperature to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Whisk the egg whites using an electric hand whisk in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Spoon the meringue over the jam, using the back of the spoon to spread the mixture over any gaps. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the meringue is crisp and golden. Serve immediately.

BLACKCURRANT QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Put the milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil with the vanilla seeds, sugar and lemon zest. Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl, and pour over the hot milk. Leave to stand for 10 mins to cool slightly.
• Stir through the butter. Once melted, stir in the yolks. Divide between six ovenproof serving dishes and bake for 12 mins or until just set. Can be made a few hours ahead and chilled. Remove from the oven and spread the compote over the base.
• Put the egg whites in a tabletop mixer, or a large bowl with an electric whisk and start to whisk. Once the whites are holding their shape, add the vinegar and two-thirds of the sugar, give it 30 secs to work in, then add the remaining sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form. Spoon the mixture into piping bags with your choice of nozzle, then pipe between the dishes and bake for 10 mins until golden. Serve straight away.

RHUBARB & GINGER QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Break the cake into fine crumbs or place in a food processor and blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs. Place the crumbs in the bottom of a 22cm round ovenproof baking dish. In a jug, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, nutmeg and 50g of the sugar. Pour the custard mixture over the crumbs and leave to soak for 10 mins. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 45 mins, until the custard is set but still has a little wobble.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the rhubarb in a saucepan with 100g of the remaining sugar, stem ginger, syrup and 2 tbsp water. Set over a medium heat and cook for 15-20 mins until the rhubarb is tender. Leave to cool. Can be done up to this point the day before.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the egg whites in a large clean bowl and, using an electric whisk, whisk the whites until soft peaks form. At this stage, begin to slowly add the remaining 100g sugar, beating well between each addition, until all the sugar is incorporated and the meringue is stiff and glossy.
• Drain the rhubarb, keeping the syrup, then spoon onto the baked custard. Spoon or pipe the meringue on top and bake for 15-20 mins until the meringue is browned. Serve hot with the rhubarb syrup.