Transparent Pudding

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 225 g sugar, pounded
• 225 g fresh butter, melted
• 0.5 nutmeg, grated

Method

Separate your eggs, keeping the yolks and whites entirely distinct — this dish depends on two different emulsions working in concert. Whisk the whites to stiff peaks; this traps air that will leaven the pudding and give it its characteristic lightness. In a separate bowl, beat the yolks with the pounded sugar until pale and thick enough to fall from the whisk in ribbons — this takes three to four minutes of steady work. The friction and incorporation of air are what's happening here; you're not just mixing, you're aerating the egg yolk-sugar base so it can hold the melted butter without breaking.

Pour the melted butter into the yolk mixture in a thin stream whilst whisking constantly. This controlled incorporation is essential: butter added too quickly will separate and you'll end up with a greasy, split custard. Work slowly and the emulsification holds — the lecithin in the egg yolk acts as an emulsifier, binding fat and water into a stable, creamy mass. Once the butter is fully integrated and the mixture is pale and mousse-like, fold in the grated nutmeg, then fold in the whites in two additions using a spatula, turning the bowl as you go. Don't overwork this; stop when the whites are just incorporated. You want to retain the air you've beaten in.

Line a shallow earthenware or metal dish with puff pastry, pricking the base lightly to prevent excessive puffing. Pour the egg mixture in and set the whole dish into a moderate oven — 180°C — for 25 to 30 minutes. The pudding is done when the centre just trembles slightly when you shake the dish gently; it will continue to set as it cools. The top should be pale golden and feel springy to the touch, not firm. Overshooting will cause the eggs to scramble and toughen, losing that translucent, custard-like quality the name promises.

Dust generously with caster sugar whilst the pudding is hot — this dissolves into a light glaze — and serve at once on warm plates. The pastry base should have crisped in the oven's heat; the filling should spoon like a thick, fragrant custard.