Summer Pudding Recipe

a slice of summer berry pudding on a pink plate with whipped cream and a spoon.

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Summer Pudding is a simple, old-fashioned dessert that only looks fancy. It requires almost no cooking and uses plain white bread for the "crust" and is full to the brim with juicy summer berries.

Prep Time: 40

Bake Time: 3

Chilling Time: 8

Total Time: 8 43

8 portions

Ingredients
US Customary - Metric

2 pounds mixed summer berries (see note)
6 oz granulated sugar (¾ cup, adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 loaf White Sandwich Bread (sliced)

Instructions

Prepare the berries

In a medium sauce pan combine 6 oz granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water.
Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar melts and the syrup begins to simmer. Add 2 pounds mixed summer berries and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Taste the berries and adjust the sugar and lemon juice as needed.
Drain the berries, reserving the juice.

Assembly

Line a 1 ½ quart bowl with plastic wrap so that it covers the inside of the bowl and hangs over the sides.
Cut a round of bread to fit the bottom of the bowl. Trim the crusts from the other bread slices and cut each slice in half.
Dip the round piece of bread into the berry juice. Lay the round into the bottom of the bowl. Dip a piece of bread into the juice and place it longways into the bowl. Dip another bread slice into the juice and lay it overlapping the first piece. Continue until the entire bowl is lined with bread. Dump the drained berries into the bowl.
Use bread pieces to cover the top of the berries completely. Tear bits of bread to work into spaces so the berries are completely incased. Save and refrigerate any juice that is left over. Fold the plastic wrap over the berries, place a small plate on top and set a can or another heavy-ish object to weight the pudding. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.
To serve, peel back the plastic wrap from the top of the pudding. Flip the pudding onto a serving plate and lift off the bowl. Peel away the plastic wrap. Brush the pudding lightly with the reserved berry juice. Serve with whipped cream, Creme Anglaise or Vanilla Ice Cream. Garnish with the extra sauce, fresh berries, and mint leaves if you'd like.