Fruit Pudding

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.25-litre (about 5 1/4-cup) metal charlotte or pudding mould
• •Deep roasting tin for the bain-marie
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Blender or food processor
• •Heatproof pouring jug
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the bain-marie

   Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Butter a 1.25-litre metal charlotte or pudding mould thoroughly, reaching every crease and the entire rim. Fold a clean kitchen towel in the bottom of a deep roasting tin and set the mould on it; the towel keeps the mould steady and softens the oven's heat. Bring a kettle of water almost to the boil, but don't fill the roasting tin yet.

2. 2

   Poach the apricots

   Combine the poaching sugar and water in a wide saucepan. Bring them to a gentle simmer, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Add the apricot halves and poach for 2 to 4 minutes, turning once, until their skins loosen and the flesh yields slightly but still holds its shape. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, slip off the skins, and reserve every drop of syrup. Overcooked fruit collapses into the custard, so remove each half as soon as it becomes tender.

3. 3

   Divide the fruit

   Choose 6 ounces (180 g) of the firmest apricot halves for the layers. Cut them into slices about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick and blot them carefully on a clean towel; wet fruit slides and sinks. Blend another 3/4 cup (180 ml / 180 g) of apricot flesh with 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 18 g) of syrup, then pass it through a fine sieve for the custard. Blend the remaining apricots with about 1/2 cup (120 ml / 120 g) of syrup and sieve this separately for the accompanying sauce.

4. 4

   Make the custard

   Warm the milk with the vanilla bean until small bubbles gather around the edge of the saucepan. Take it off the heat, cover, and leave it for 10 minutes, then remove the vanilla. Stir the whole eggs, yolks, and custard sugar together just until smooth, without beating in air. Pour the warm milk into the eggs gradually while stirring, then strain the mixture into a jug. Stir in the measured apricot purée. If a few egg flecks have formed, don't discard it; strain once more while it is still fluid. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Set the foundation

   Pour 6 tablespoons (90 ml) of the apricot custard into the buttered mould. Set the roasting tin on the oven shelf, then pour in the hot water until it reaches halfway up the mould. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the custard has formed a tender surface that no longer flows when the mould is nudged. This first coat is deliberately thin. It gives the pudding a smooth crown when it is turned out.

6. 6

   Build the layers

   Lay one test slice of apricot on the set custard. If it stays at the surface, arrange one-third of the slices in a single layer, leaving a narrow border around the edge. If it sinks, lift it out and bake the custard for another 3 to 5 minutes before trying again. Pour one-third of the remaining custard slowly over the back of a spoon so its fall cannot break the layer beneath, then bake until this new coat is set, about 12 to 15 minutes. Repeat with a second layer of fruit and custard, set it fully, then add the last fruit and the remaining custard. Patience is not scaffolding here. It is the pudding.

   Keep the sliced fruit dry and the pouring gentle. Those two details prevent the layers from mixing before the eggs can hold them.
7. 7

   Finish the cooking

   After the final custard goes in, continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes. The pudding is ready when its edges are firm, its centre trembles as one body rather than rippling, and an instant-read thermometer reaches about 175°F (79°C). The water in the bain-marie should remain calm. If it begins bubbling hard, lower the oven to 300°F (150°C) and add a small cup of cool water to the roasting tin. Fierce heat makes the custard grainy; gentle heat keeps it close and tender.

8. 8

   Finish the sauce

   While the pudding rests, put the reserved apricot sauce in a small saucepan and warm it over the lowest heat until fluid and glossy. If it is too thick to pour, loosen it with poaching syrup a spoonful at a time. If it is thin, reduce a little plain syrup separately, then stir that reduction into the sauce; boiling the fruit purée itself would flatten its fresh apricot character.

9. 9

   Rest and unmould

   Lift the mould from the bain-marie and let it stand for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the rim without cutting deeply into the custard, cover the mould with a warm serving plate, and invert both in one confident movement. If the pudding resists, wrap the mould in a hot, wrung-out towel for 10 seconds and try again. Spoon a little apricot sauce around the base and bring the remaining sauce separately. Serve at once. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Apricots give the custard acidity, fragrance, and enough structure to hold a clean slice. Choose fruit that yields slightly under a finger but isn't soft enough to bruise when lifted.
• •Outside the apricot season, use well-drained canned apricot halves. The classical pantry solved this long ago. Skip the poaching step, use the can syrup for thinning the purées, and blot the fruit particularly well.
• •Peaches and pears are both within the source formula. Peel peaches after a brief poach; poach pears longer, until a knife enters with slight resistance. Whichever fruit you choose for the layers must also make the purée and sauce.
• •Don't reduce the yolks. Their richness is not decoration: the added coagulating power lets the custard carry fruit purée without collapsing when the mould is lifted.
• •Metal conducts the bain-marie's gentle heat more evenly than thick ceramic and releases more cleanly. A ceramic mould will work, but allow several extra minutes for each layer.

Advance Preparation

• •The apricots can be poached, divided, and puréed one day ahead. Refrigerate the sliced fruit, custard purée, sauce, and syrup in separate covered containers.
• •The milk can be infused with vanilla one day ahead and refrigerated. Warm it gently before combining it with the eggs.
• •Bake the pouding aux fruits close to serving. It may rest in its mould for 10 to 15 minutes, but a long hold continues cooking the custard and blurs its delicate layers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 230g)