Queen of Puddings/ Queen's Pudding

Queen of Puddings/ Queen's Pudding
By: Mareena Jerrish

Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding

Bread slices 4-5
Milk 2 cups
Butter 2 tablespoons
Powdered sugar 3/4 cup (+ 1/4 cup)
Eggs 3
Vanilla essence 1 teaspoon

For the Stewed Pineapple

Finely chopped pineapple- whole 1
Sugar 1/4- 1/2 cup (adjust according to the sweetness you need)

For the Praline layer

Grated coconut 1/4 cup
Cashewnut bits 1/4 cup
Sugar 1/4 cup
Steps

For the Stewed Pineapple

Heat a pan. Tip in the chopped pineapple and cook.
You will see that the pineapple will release its juices.
Cook till the juice evaporates and the colour of the pineapple turns slightly brown.
Add the sugar and cook till the sugar caramelises.
Switch off heat and allow to cool.
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate, if using the next day.

For the Praline layer

Heat a pan. Add the grated coconut and cashewnuts and toast till they turn light brown in colour.
Add the sugar and continue cooking, on low heat, till the sugar caramelises and the mixture turns a shade darker.
Switch off heat and allow to cool.
Grind the mixture coarsely.
Store in an airtight container.

For the Bread Pudding

Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease an 8" square baking tray. Keep a bigger tray which can fit the 8" tray in it, ready.
Separate the yolk and whites of the egg. Keep aside.
Cut the brown edges of the bread and cube them.
Soak the bread cubes in milk for a few minutes.
Take a bowl with butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in it.
Beat till the mixture turns creamy.
Add the egg yolks and beat well.
Add the bread- milk mixture and mix till well incoporated.
Pour the mixture into the greased 8" pan.
Heat water till it is hot.
Place the tray containing the pudding mixture inside the bigger tray and place in the oven.
Carefully pour the hot water in the bigger tray, without spilling into the pudding mixture.
The water level should be half the tray.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile take the egg whites in a bowl and beat till it forms soft peaks.
Carefully add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat till stiff peaks are formed.
Transfer this to a piping bag.
Take the pudding from the oven.
Put the stewed pineapple to form a thin even layer. (You may use any jam instead)
Sprinkle the praline. (Optional)
Pipe the meringue evenly so that the entire pudding is covered.
Place the tray back into the bigger tray and bake for another 5-10 minutes or till the top turns golden brown in colour.
Ideally this pudding is to be served warm but we like it chilled.
Sprinkle the praline while serving.