vegetarianHeat the oven
Heat the oven to 180° C. Set a rack in the middle and place an empty 1.5-litre baking dish nearby so the pudding is ready to assemble as soon as the custard is mixed.
Prep lemon and eggs
Wash and dry the lemon, then finely grate only the yellow zest, stopping before you reach the bitter white pith. Tear the white bread into pieces and pulse or rub it into soft fresh breadcrumbs until you have about 90 g. Separate 3 eggs, putting the egg yolks in one bowl and the egg whites in a large clean bowl for later.
Warm the milk
Pour the whole milk into a saucepan with the unsalted butter, 60 g of the caster sugar, the grated zest, and the vanilla extract. Heat gently, stirring now and then, until the butter has melted and the milk is steaming, then take the pan off the heat. Do not let it boil hard or the mixture can taste cooked and may be more likely to catch the yolks later.
Soak the crumbs
Stir the fresh breadcrumbs into the hot milk mixture until every crumb is moistened. Leave it to stand for 10 minutes so the crumbs can swell and thicken the base.
Whisk in yolks
Beat the egg yolks lightly, then whisk them into the breadcrumb mixture until it looks smooth and evenly yellow. If the mixture still feels very hot, let it cool briefly first so the yolks thicken the custard instead of scrambling. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and level the top.
Bake the base
Bake the custard base for 25–30 minutes, until it is just set around the edges and has only the slightest wobble in the centre. The top should be pale golden rather than deeply browned.
Spread the jam
Take the dish from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes so the surface firms up slightly. Spoon the raspberry jam over the warm custard and spread it gently into an even layer, going right to the edges without pressing down into the base.
Whip the meringue
Using a whisk or mixer, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well after each addition, until the meringue is thick, glossy, and holds firm peaks when you lift the whisk.
Top and bake
Spoon the meringue over the jam, then spread it lightly and pull the surface into swirls and little peaks so it browns attractively. Return the pudding to the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the meringue is crisp on the ridges and lightly golden. Let it settle for a few minutes before serving warm.
