Summer Pudding
A classic British dessert of soft summer berries folded into thick fruit juice and encased in crusty white bread. An elegant, make-ahead treat that tastes even better the next day.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 156
- Protein
- 2g
Ingredients
- 300 g fresh raspberries
- 200 g fresh blackberries
- 200 g fresh blueberries
- 100 g fresh red currants (or blackcurrants)
- 75 g caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 8 slices white bread (1 to 2 days old), crusts removed
Instructions
- 1
Line a 1-liter pudding basin or small bowl with plastic wrap, letting it drape over the edges — this makes unmolding much easier. Set aside.
- 2
Rinse 300 g fresh raspberries, 200 g fresh blackberries, 200 g fresh blueberries, and 100 g fresh red currants under cool water. Pat gently with paper towels to remove excess moisture — you want them dry but not bruised. Pick off any stems or debris from the red currants.
- 3
Place the rinsed berries and red currants in a large saucepan with 75 g caster sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Set the pan over medium-low heat and gently warm the fruit, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Watch carefully — you're looking for the berries to begin releasing their juice and soften slightly, about 4-5 minutes. The sugar will dissolve and the mixture will become syrupy. You should smell the sweet berry aroma and see deep crimson liquid pooling around the fruit.
- 4
Remove the pan from the heat and let the berry mixture cool for 5 minutes at room temperature, then taste a spoonful — the juice should taste sweet and concentrated. The berries should still hold their shape; you're not making jam.
- 5
Cut the 8 slices of 1-2 day old white bread (with crusts already removed) into triangles and rectangles of varying shapes. You'll need roughly 6-8 pieces total to line the bottom and sides of your basin. Reserve 1-2 slices for the top.
- 6
Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the berry juice (without the fruit pieces) into a small bowl and set aside — you'll need this to seal the top. Working quickly, dip each bread piece briefly into the remaining berry juice — just a 1-second dunk on each side to saturate it without dissolving it. The bread should turn deep purple-pink but still hold together.
- 7
Arrange the dipped bread pieces along the bottom and up the sides of your plastic wrap-lined basin, overlapping them slightly and pressing gently so they mold to the shape. There should be no gaps — the bread creates the pudding's shell.
- 8
Spoon the cooked berries and any remaining juice into the bread-lined basin, packing them gently and evenly. Level the top with the back of a spoon.
- 9
Dip the reserved bread slices in the set-aside berry juice and arrange them on top of the berries, overlapping to cover the filling completely. The bread seal is what holds the pudding together when unmolded.
- 10
Fold the plastic wrap over the top of the pudding and place a small plate or flat lid directly on the surface. Set a 1-2 pound weight (a can of tomatoes works perfectly) on top — this gently compresses the pudding as it sets. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. This resting time allows the bread to fully absorb the berry juice and the flavors to deepen.
- 11
When ready to serve, unfold the plastic wrap from the top and invert the pudding onto a chilled serving plate in one confident motion — it should slide out whole. Peel away the plastic wrap. The pudding should be stained deep purple-red throughout, with the bread having absorbed all the juices. Serve immediately, slicing into wedges like a cake. Serve alone or with lightly whipped cream or crème fraîche on the side.
Tools you’ll need
- 1-liter pudding basin or small bowl
- plastic wrap
- large saucepan
- wooden spoon
- small bowl
- cutting board
- small sharp knife
- kitchen scale
- small plate or flat lid
- chilled serving plate
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