Queen of Puddings

The three eggs are separated at the beginning, with the whites reserved in a completely clean, dry bowl. The 450 ml of milk is warmed over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling. Off the heat, 25 g of butter and part of the 110 g of sugar are dissolved into the milk. The 80 g of breadcrumbs then soak in that liquid for 5 minutes. Allowing the mixture to lose some heat before the yolks are added prevents the eggs from immediately forming cooked pieces. The base is poured into a baking dish and baked for about 20 minutes, until its edges are set while the center still moves slightly. Four tablespoons of raspberry jam are stirred until spreadable and smoothed into a thin layer over the baked surface. The reserved whites are whipped while the remaining sugar is added gradually, stopping at glossy, stiff peaks. This meringue is spread all the way to the edges so the jam is covered, and a spoon lifts peaks across the top. A second bake of 12-15 minutes gives those peaks and the surrounding surface a golden color. The pudding rests briefly after leaving the oven, and portions are spooned deeply enough to pass through the meringue, jam, and breadcrumb base together.