Should My Forgotten Pudding Have A Crunchy Top?

Our answer

Nigella's Forgotten Pudding (from NIGELLA EXPRESS) is a meringue that is left overnight to cook in an oven that is preheated and then turned off as soon as the meringue is put into the oven. It gives a soft, marshmallowy pudding that goes well with berries and cream. However, it is worth mentioning that the Forgotten Pudding should not have a crisp top. The top should be set but it will not be crunchy as there is not enough heat to form a thick crust. It is correct that the pudding will be soft and marshmallowy all the way through and it is different to a pavlova, where the oven is turned down but still left on while the meringue cooks.

If you want a crisp crust then you may prefer to make a pavlova, such as Nigella's Lemon Pavlova or Mini Pavlovas. Or Forgotten Cookies, which are smaller in size so are slightly more crisp than a large Forgotten Pudding. It is also worth mentioning that if the weather is very wet or humid then it can be difficult to get meringues to dry out and in these conditions the surface of the meringue can be a little soft or sticky.