Queen of puddings with raspberries

Method

• step 1

  To make the base, butter and line a 21cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Heat the cream and vanilla to a gentle simmer.

• step 2

  Beat the yolks, sugar, cornflour and a pinch of salt until smooth. Slowly pour the hot cream over the egg mix, and keep whisking. Return to the pan, then simmer on a medium heat and keep whisking for 12-15 minutes to cook out the flour and until very thick. It should fall off the spoon in blobs rather than drizzling off.

• step 3

  Stir in the breadcrumbs, with a wooden spoon, until very thick, like custard. Spoon into the lined cake tin, smooth over the surface and chill until set, about 5 hours, or overnight.

• step 4

  Heat the oven to 120C/fan 100C/gas ½. For the meringues, slowly whisk the egg whites, with an electric whisk, until frothy and doubled in size. Add the sugar, one spoon at a time, until it’s all been added, then add a pinch of salt, whisking continuously. Increase the speed and whisk again until stiff peaks form. Spoon 4 individual portions onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 1½-2 hours, until they’re crisp and come away from the baking paper cleanly. Leave to cool completely in the oven while it’s turned off, to prevent any cracks.

  Step 5

  Make the coulis by adding 200g raspberries and the sugar to a small pan, and simmer for 15 minutes until the fruit
  has broken down and it turns syrupy. Push through a sieve, cool to room temperature, and chill.

• step 5

  To serve, cut 4 discs from the chilled base as big as the cooked meringues. Heat 1 tsp of vegetable oil and a small knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan, and fry the bases until crisped and brown, about 1 minute on each side. Put onto 4 dessert plates and top with a layer of raspberries. Pour over the coulis, put some on the plate to garnish, and finish with the meringues.