Individual Queen of Puddings with Morello Cherry Conserve

This recipe is from Delia's Complete How to Cook.

This is another great English classic, yet when you look at the recipe, you can hardly believe such simple ingredients could be transformed into such wonderfully light lusciousness.

It is a moveable feast because the conserve can be whichever you prefer. Our home-made Dark Apricot and Almond Preserve below, would be a star choice. It works divinely with marmalade, cranberry jelly, or even lemon curd. Definitely one of my top puddings of all time.

The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch how to make custard, meringues and Pavlova, just click the image to play

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Making two individual Queen of Puddings

Asked by: Simon01

Hello and apologise, I seem to be forever in your email bag for one query or another. This time it's regarding today's recipe of the day (individual queen of puddings). If I want to make just 1 or 2 individual portions, what adjustments would you suggest? Thank you. Eileen

Answered by Lindsey: Hello Eileen, I’d make a third of the recipe using one egg. All the timings and temperature should be the same. Kind regards Lindsey

Method

First pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, breadcrumbs, 1 oz (25 g) sugar and the lemon zest and leave for 20 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to swell. Now separate the eggs. Put the whites into a large, grease-free bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Then beat the yolks and add them to the cooled breadcrumb mixture, after that divide it between the individual dishes, smoothing the tops. You can also watch how to separate eggs in our Cookery School Video on this page.

Now place the tray in the centre of the oven and bake for about 25 minutes until set. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt the preserve over a low heat and, when the puddings are ready, remove them from the oven and spread it carefully and evenly all over the tops.

Next use a clean, dry whisk to beat the egg whites to the stiff-peak stage, then whisk in 1½ oz (40 g) caster sugar and then divide this meringue mixture between each pudding, piling it up into high peaks. Finally, sprinkle a teaspoon of caster sugar over the tops of the puddings and bake for a further 10-15 minutes on the centre shelf again until the tops are golden brown. Don't worry if they're ready before you've finished the main course; they won't mind waiting in a warm place.