Welsh Recipe - Monmouth Pudding (Pwdin Mynwy)

There are many English puddings which are named after the places they came from, but there seems to have only been one such pudding from Wales - Monmouth Pudding. However, don't try to find Monmouth on a map - It has since been re-named and is now known as Gwent.

If you like your puddings sweet, then Monmouth Pudding is the one for you. It was originally created to use whatever fruit was available, or in season at the time and although raspberries are used in this particular recipe, any fruit of your choice can be substituted.

To make the Pudding:

• 90g/3¼oz fresh breadcrumbs

• 450ml/1 pint whole milk

• 2 tablespoons of soft light brown sugar

• The zest from one lemon

• 2 tablespoons of caster sugar

• 25g/1oz of butter (salted)

• The yolks of three large eggs

To make the topping

• 175g/6oz of raspberry jam

• 150g/5oz of fresh raspberries

• 75g/3oz of caster sugar

• The whites of three large eggs, whisked until soft peaks form.

The Pudding

1. Sprinkle the brown sugar and the breadcrumbs into a baking tray and shake to mix the two evenly together. Grill gently until the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted and the sugar is starting to melt. Remove from grill and set aside until needed.

2. Preheat your oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.

3. Mix together the milk, lemon zest, sugar and butter, and heat in a pan over a medium heat. Cook and continue to stir, until all the butter has melted and the mixture is well blended, then mix in the toasted breadcrumbs and sugar and remove from the heat. Leave the mixture stand for 30 minutes.

4. When the 30 minutes is up, put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk them up until they are pale and fluffy, then tip them into the milk and breadcrumb mixture and gently whisk the whole mix until it is well blended.

5. Transfer the mixture into a 20cm/8in ovenproof serving dish and place in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pudding has risen and set (i.e. when a skewer pushed into the middle of the pudding comes out clean.)

6. Take the pudding out of the oven and turn the temperate up to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

The Topping

1. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the top of the pudding. Scatter the raspberries over the jam.

2. Put the sugar and the whisked egg whites in a bowl and continue to whisk until the mix is glossy and forms stiff peaks.

3. Spoon this meringue mix over the top of the pudding and put it back in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until the meringue looks golden-brown.

4. Serve straight away.