summer pudding – divine summer eating!

by Sharon Santoni
[blank]We are in full strawberry season here, and the raspberries will soon be in, and because of the unclement weather the cherries are late ….  so what do I think of with all these red berries? … summer pudding![blank]
Summer pudding is divine!
[blank]There is simply no denying the fact.  And to make it even better, it is ridiculously easy to make, providing you remember to make it the day before you need to eat it.
There are many recipes out there, but this is how I make mine, working on a 2 pint or 1 litre pudding bowl or 8 individual moulds.
You need 800 grammes or nearly 2 pounds of mixed red fruit.   I like to use blackberries, redcurants, raspberries, redcurrants, cherries …) When it is difficult to find everything fresh and ripe at the same time, it is OK to use some fresh and some frozen.  I actually freeze red fruit from the garden specifically for this recipe.
Put all the red fruit together in a pan, making sure there are no stalks left on the fruit.  Sprinkle about 200 grammes or 7 ounces of sugar over the fruit and heat gently until the juices of the fruit begin to run.  Heat gently until the fruit starts to simmer, let them simmer for a couple of minutes then turn off the heat and let the fruit cool down.  You only cook the fruit for it to be soft, you don’t want it to taste ‘cooked’.
Once the fruit is completely cool, line your pudding bowl with medium cut slices of white bread without the crusts.  I try to get a good quality loaf for this, it definitely makes a difference to the flavour, in fact I often make it with slices of brioche.
Overlap the slices slightly so the bowl is completely lined , pour the fruit into the centre, reserving about a cup of the deep red juice.  Cover the fruit with a ‘lid’ of bread, and place a clean saucer on the top.  Pop the bowl on a plate into the fridge, with a weight on the top.  You want the red juices to seep through the bread, so when it is turned out the next day, there is no white bread showing.
Leave this in a frideg overnight, and when you turn the pudding out to serve, remember you have that cup of juice to hand to ‘colour’ any little patches of bread.
Some people like to serve this dessert with cream, personally I prefer without, but that – I am sure – you will decide for yourselves![blank]
[blank]And if you prefer to make individual puddings which always look so pretty on a plate, then just use the same method but in little ramekins instead of a larger bowl[blank]
Bon appetit and thank you for reading me![blank][blank]
 
Photos thanks to the Telegraph and to the BBC

15 comments

manuela carvalho June 24, 2013 - 2:22 pm

It must be wonderfull! Thank you!

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Catherine Mukho June 24, 2013 - 2:34 pm

Sounds and looks very tasty. Gotta try, thanks for your recipe!

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Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon June 24, 2013 - 3:07 pm

This is so beautiful. I am so glad I purchased a scale. My cooking improved so much and I am able to make smaller versions of your recipes. I think I need to try it with cream and without to see what I prefer, maybe multiple times. 🙂

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Pigtown*Design June 24, 2013 - 3:24 pm

LOVE this! My English father used to make this when we were children, and I remember my auntie in Norwich making it, too! Perfect for fruits that are on the way out, and bread that's a little stale, too!

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Magnolia Verandah June 24, 2013 - 3:30 pm

Isn't summer pudding just the best – it always looks so dramatic.

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vicki archer June 24, 2013 - 3:41 pm

Delicious…. and it does so remind me of English summer… the colour is just wonderful… xv

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Aunty Belle June 24, 2013 - 4:31 pm

Glorious!!

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Lori E June 24, 2013 - 4:40 pm

Are you serious? It is that easy? My mouth is truly watering. Cold and fresh tasting. Sure to be a show piece dessert on a hot summer evening.

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I Dream Of June 24, 2013 - 5:11 pm

Sharon, this is beautiful and delicious. The perfect way to enjoy summer fruit. I'm putting this on my "too make" list!

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Betsy Brock June 24, 2013 - 10:14 pm

Ooooh…isn't that gorgeous!

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Penny June 25, 2013 - 1:33 am

Yum, in our family in Oz we only use mulberries, they are the best! We do have a large black mulberry tree so plenty of fruit for summer puddings.

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Shell B June 25, 2013 - 2:20 am

That looks delicious! Might have to try making one this weekend!

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martinealison June 25, 2013 - 6:37 am

Bonjour,

Si aujourd'hui, cette délicieuse gourmandise est prête, j'arrive de ce pas !…

Merci pour le partage ce cette petite recette pleine couleurs estivales…
gros bisous

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Southerncook June 25, 2013 - 7:49 pm

This looks and sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing it.

Carolyn/A Southerner's Notebook

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Stacey Snacks June 26, 2013 - 3:17 am

This is so yummy looking…………I think I will try it this weekend w/ my berry harvest from the garden. xo

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