Queen of Puddings

I had planned to make a clementine cake for Marni's 4 week birthday, but i started on the wrong recipe (they are on the same page!).  By the time i'd added orange blossom water and caster sugar to breadcrumbs, it was too late.  But am i glad i did - it was a triumph.  So good, that Tara and I just had 3 helpings each for our dinner.

- Put 150g breadcrumbs (or brioche crumbs) in a bowl with a desert spoon caster sugar, zest of 1 orange, and 2 drops orange blossom water.
- Heat 575ml milk and 40g butter in a pan until hot but not boiling, then add to the breadcrumbs.
- Leave to steep for 10 mins, then beat in 5 egg yolks.
- Pour the crumb custard into a buttered oval oven dish and bake for 20-30 mins until custard is set on top, but may still be runny underneath.
- Heat 3-5 tablespoons marmalade in a pan, add 2 teaspoons golden syrup, stir and then pour over the custard.
- Whisk 5 egg whites until stiff, whisk in 60g caster sugar, then fold in another 60g.
- Cover the pudding with the meringue mixture, sprinkle with sugar and cook for another 20 mins until meringue is browned.

And yet another lesson hard learned - i put the mixture too close to the top of the oven and bizarrely, the meringue rose a bit into the grill, so that when i pulled it out, the lovely brown crispy topping was left behind!  Very annoying, and not something i will not do again.  I put it back under the grill to crisp up the top, but the meringue peaks i had created were lost forever...