Queen of puddings recipe

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(48 ratings)

A traditional British Queen of puddings really is a dish fit for royalty!

(Image credit: Future Publishing)
  • healthy
Serves6
SkillMedium
Preparation Time15 mins
Cooking Time31 mins
Total Time51 mins
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories398 Kcal20%
Fat7.5 g11%
Saturated Fat1.9 g10%
Carbohydrates77.9 g30%

Queen of puddings is a delicious and traditional British dessert that really is a dish fit for royalty. With thick custard and sweet jam topped with light and fluffy meringue, these cannot be frozen but that just means you have to eat them all! What a shame... If you like trifle there is a strong chance you're going to love this dessert. It's very similar but there isn't a standalone sponge layer. The jam replaces jelly and there's meringue instead of cream. We have made this using individual ramekins but you could experiment with one larger dish if you like.

Ingredients

  • 568ml carton of full-fat milk
  • Grated rind of 1 large lemon
  • 3 medium eggs, separated
  • 55g (2oz) caster sugar
  • 115g (4oz) brioche, broken into crumbs
  • 9 tbsp strawberry jam, warmed

For the topping:

  • 175g (6oz) caster sugar

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C, 325°F, gas mark 3. Pour the milk into a pan, add the lemon rind and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and thick. Gradually whisk in the hot milk mixture and stir in the brioche crumbs.
  2. Place the ramekins in a roasting tin and fill each one with the lemon custard mixture. Pour boiling water around the ramekins to make a bain-marie and bake for 30 mins, or until the mixture has just set.
  3. Remove the ramekins from the oven, brush the jam liberally over the top of the mixture and transfer to a grill pan.
  4. For the topping: Whisk the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, then gradually whisk in the sugar to make a meringue mixture.
  5. Spoon or pipe the mixture on top of the jam in the ramekins and flash under a preheated grill for 1 to 2 mins or until golden. Serve immediately.
Top Tip for making Queen of puddings

This dessert isn't suitable for freezing so you'll have to eat it all up asap. What a shame!

Rosie Conroy
Food Writer

Rosie is an experienced food and drinks journalist who has spent over a decade writing about restaurants, cookery, and foodie products. Previously Content Editor at Goodto.com and Digital Food Editor on Woman&Home, Rosie is well used to covering everything from food news through to taste tests. Now, as well as heading up the team at SquareMeal - the UK's leading guide to restaurants and bars - she also runs a wedding floristry business in Scotland called Lavender and Rose.