Recipe: Lemon meringue pudding

Serves 4

Ingredients

Lemon cream

• 600ml (1 pint) double cream
• 250g (9oz) caster sugar
• 5 unwaxed lemons, juiced and zested
• 8 shortbread fingers – roughly crumbled by hand

Meringue

• 360g (13oz) caster sugar
• 30g (1oz) glucose liquid
• 80ml (3fl oz) water
• 6 egg whites

Special equipment

• 4 glass ramekins
• sugar thermometer

Method

Lemon cream

1. Pour the double cream into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the caster sugar and stir. Boil gently for 4 minutes then remove the pan from the heat.
2. Add the juice and zest from the lemons and stir.
3. Sprinkle half the biscuits into the bottom of the ramekins and pour the cream on top, filling the ramekins to two-thirds full.
4. Allow the lemon cream to cool to room temperature. Sprinkle on the remaining biscuits. They should sink into the mixture.
5. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Meringue

1. Mix the sugar, glucose and water in a pan heating it to 120°C / 250°F.
2. Whisk the egg whites until they begin to form peaks.
3. Gradually whisk the sugar solution into the egg whites, until the whites form soft peaks.
4. Take the ramekins out of the fridge and fill to the brim with the meringue. Place the ramekins under a preheated grill for 1-2 minutes until the meringue is golden brown.
5. Serve immediately.