English Summer Pudding
The English Summer Pudding, made with dense bread, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, is as beautiful as it is delicious to eat.
Our favorite fruits to use in English Summer Pudding are raspberries and red currants, but use any seasonal fruits you like, such as strawberries, cherries, and gooseberries; the color is key. (You may also use frozen berries any time of the year.) In addition to good berries, the bread is critical, too. Use a dense, unflavored white loaf-not sourdough, and not crusty. It has to have good body. Lastly, be sure you use a nicely shaped bowl that will look good when the pudding is inverted onto a plate for serving. For an authentic English summer dessert, use crème fraîche, or simply pour heavy cream over the slice.
Yield:
12 servingsIngredients
1 pound strawberries, sliced
1 pound blackberries
1 pound raspberries
1/2 cup water or berry juice
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste, depending on berries’ sweetness)
1 pound bread loaf, crusts removed
1/2 cup fresh berries
1 pint heavy cream (or crème fraîche)
Instructions
Berries should total 8-9 cups. In a medium-size saucepan, over low heat, cook gently with water and sugar 2-3 minutes; sugar should dissolve and berries should hold their shape. Let cool. Reserve a cup of the resulting juice.
Line the bottom and sides of a soufflé dish or deep bowl with bread slices, packed tightly, cutting bread to fit. Pour half the cooked berries evenly over bread. Make a second layer of bread over berries and top with remaining berries. Add a final layer of bread.
The bowl should still have about an inch of depth left. Place a plate (slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl) on top and weigh it down. (Use at least 3 pounds, such as a large can of tomatoes.) Refrigerate overnight or, even better, 24 hours.
Invert the bowl onto a rimmed plate or platter (slightly larger than the diameter of the bowl). The pudding should release from the bowl fairly easily; nudge with a rubber spatula if necessary, but be careful not to break it. Pour reserved juice carefully over the pudding, or use a turkey baster to spread it; there will be dry spots you can “patch” with it.
Sprinkle fresh berries on top. Slice and serve at room temperature, topped with heavy cream or crème fraîche. (It’s also good without anything on top.)
