Queen of puddings is an old-fashioned British nursery pudding made of bread or cake crumbs cooked in an egg custard, topped with jam/jelly and crowned with meringue. I’ve swapped the traditional base for a chewy coconut macaroon mixture, which I think adds something deliciously different and rather special.
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200 g) desiccated/dried shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup (80 g) plus 1 tsp butter
- ¼ cup (50 g) caster/superfine sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
- 10½ oz (300 g) raspberry or strawberry jam/jelly
- 3 egg whites
- ¾ cup (150 g) caster/superfine sugar
- a 30 x 17 x 2.5 cm/11¾ x 6¾ x 1 inch brownie pan, lightly greased and lined with baking parchment
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 170˚C (325˚F) Gas 3. Rub the coconut and butter together in a bowl until the butter has been evenly incorporated. Add the 50 g/¼ cup of sugar, the vanilla bean paste, eggs and egg yolk. Stir to combine. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared brownie pan and smooth over with a palette knife. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden and firm.
- Spread the jam/jelly evenly over the coconut base.
- Whisk the egg whites until firm and glossy. Gradually add the 150 g/¾ cup of sugar, whisking a little after each addition, until the sugar has been fully incorporated and the meringue is glossy and firm. Pipe or spoon it over the jam/jelly.
- Return the brownie pan to the oven and bake for a further 20–25 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown and crisp. Serve warm or cold.