Summer Pudding: The Ultimate Berrylicious Dessert

Summer Pudding is the quintessential English dessert, and one of my personal favourites! A triumphal end to many summer lunches and dinners I've hosted over the years, Summer Pudding has also become an eagerly anticipated summer treat for many of my friends. Packed full of fresh summer berries that have been simmered with brown sugar and framboise, then poured into a bread lined bowl and chilled overnight, the pectin in the berries react with the sugar in the bread, and as the pudding chills, it firms up into the most fabulous crimson coloured berry-licious pudding. Served with a dollop of crème fraîche, Summer Pudding is easy to make and outstandingly delicious. 

Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, 

and a package of frozen mixed berries

The berries are simmered with brown sugar, framboise and a little water

for about 20 minutes or until the berries have released their juices

Meanwhile, a bowl is lined with crustless white bread

Once the berries are ready, most of the juice is removed and stored in another bowl,

while the stewed berries are spooned into the bread-lined bowl

Berries are filled to the top of the bowl, crowned with more white bread to finish

then topped with a small plate inset into the bowl weighted down with heavy can and refrigerated

After being refrigerated for 24 hours, the bowl is upturned onto a presentation plate 

with the berry juice ladled overtop and then garnished with mint

Served and topped with a dollop of crème fraîche

Summer Pudding

Serves 12

1 lb strawberries

1 lb raspberries

1 lb blueberries

1 lb blackberries

1 package frozen mixed berries

1 cup light brown sugar

1 loaf white bread, such as Wonderbread

1/2 cup framboise

Remove the crusts from the bread. Wash and trim all the fresh berries, and add them to a large saucepan with the frozen berries, framboise, brown sugar and 1/2 cup of water, and cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the berries have released their juices, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove 1 cup of the juice and set aside. 

Lightly grease a medium sized bowl with some vegetable oil, then line the bowl with the slices of bread, covering the bottom and the sides. Using a large spoon, ladle the berry mixture into the bread lined bowl, then top with the remaining slices of bread. Lay a flat plate on top with a heavy weight to squash the fruit down, and chill at least 24 hours. 

When ready to serve, place a large serving plate on top of the bowl and gently invert. Shake gently to release the pudding onto the plate and spoon the reserved juice over the top, garnishing with some sprigs of fresh mint. Serve cut into wedges, with a bowl of thick creme fraiche on the table. Heaven!