By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 20 minutes, plus at least 6 hours’ chilling
- Rating
- 4(207)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Got soft white bread? Berries? Good: you’re all set to make this dessert, which can brighten even the warmest summer night. The making of this dish takes almost no time, but the pudding has to be refrigerated at least 6 hours or overnight. So make it up in the morning, have some fun in the sun and it will be ready for after dinner. Serve with heavy cream or ice cream.
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Ingredients
Yield:8 servings
- 1¾pounds mixed berries (about 6 cups)
- ½cup sugar, or to taste
- 1tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
- Few drops of rosewater (optional)
- 10 to 12slices soft white bread, crusts removed
- Heavy cream or ice cream, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
234 calories; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 26 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 191 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
To make the pudding, combine berries, sugar and ⅓ cup water in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved and berries release their juices, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. The sauce should be sweet, with a hint of tartness. Adjust with more sugar or lemon juice as needed. Stir in rosewater if using
Step
2
Spoon an even layer of berry syrup (not the berries themselves) in the bottom of an 8-inch loaf pan or a medium-size bowl. Line bottom of pan or bowl with a single layer of bread; cut bread into pieces as necessary to make it fit. Spoon ⅓ of the fruit on top of bread, making sure bread is completely coated; top with a layer of bread. Repeat twice more, alternating layers of fruit with layers of bread, ending up with bread as the top layer. Let mixture cool completely, then wrap pan tightly with plastic wrap. Place a light weight on top of the pudding. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Step
3
Run a knife around sides of summer pudding, then turn it over onto a plate to unmold. Serve in slices with cream or ice cream on top.
Ratings
4
out of 5
207
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Anne
This was very good and very very easy. However - the recipe calls for 3/4 lb berries, about 6 cups. When I measured out 3/4 lb berries (mix of blackberries and raspberries), it was less than 3 cups. I ended up adding another couple of cups of blueberries that I happened to have. So probably 1.25 lb total. But I think that didn't make quite enough syrup - the top layer of bread didn't end up completely soaked. So perhaps the 3/4 lb is incorrect? Maybe 1 and 3/4 lb?
Francesca
What is the answer to Anne's question below? Should it be 1 and 3/4 lbs.?
Terry
I have the print copy from The NY Times of July 10, 2013. It calls for 1¾ lbs of berries which is about 6 cups and seems like just the right amount. All other ingredients are the same. I think this is a typo.
BeverlyCY
I used to make this all the time with oldish, stale pound cake. Seriously delicious.
Juliet Jones
This is a traditional British dessert that I've been eating for 60 years. While Melissa Clark's ingredients are the standard ones, the way she puts the pudding together is different. I think it looks prettier when made the British way, in a pudding basin. It's also more of a "surprise" when first brought to the table; guests don't know what's inside. Look at this BBC recipe, if only to see the photo: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4516/summer-pudding
amidlife
1 3/4 pounds mixed red, black, purple fruit.
I used 40 oz. (two loaves) of potato bread worked for the bread casing. Cut loaves long way to line sides of 2 qt. pudding basin, short way for top, bottom and layers.
After berries simmered, use a colander to separate berries from juice. Dip bread in juice for even saturation. Fill, alternating berry pulp and bread layers, and pour the juice over all.
Bohemian
I think it was SUPPOSED to read three to four pounds of berries, not 3/4. I made it today and it's definitely not 3/4 pounds.
Maureen
I think the recipe definitely has a misprint that should be corrected. It must be 3-4 pounds of fruit required, not 3/4 pound. Thank goodness I read the notes, and added more fruit. It turned out okay, but I should have had more fruit. Some of the bread was not soaked in fruit,even after being in the frig overnight.
Scott Fletcher
For a particularly pure, straightahead taste, make this with raspberries and redcurrants. Unfortunately that makes it more expensive. Macerating the fruit in sugar overnight helps it release juices quickly on cooking. The directions in step 2 are confusingly sequenced to me. Line your bowl with bread, then spoon in the hot fruit mixture. The BBC recipe cited by reader Juliet Jones is helpful for getting the idea.
MCA
Use frozen mixed berries, taste for sweetness before adding all the sugar. Fresh berries for garnish.
Anna
Simply perfect! However, I definitely did add significantly more lemon (at least two tablespoons if not more) to draw out the tartness in this dessert.
Meredith
Made this with leftover brioche hot dog buns - already the perfect shape to fit into a loaf pan. Also stirred a Tbsp of Cointreau into the berry sauce instead of the rosewater.
Amy
It is great with bread or pound cake. I did it with both! Such a different dish.
Galen
I thinkI would rather make this with layers of pound cake.
Maureen
I think the recipe definitely has a misprint that should be corrected. It must be 3-4 pounds of fruit required, not 3/4 pound. Thank goodness I read the notes, and added more fruit. It turned out okay, but I should have had more fruit. Some of the bread was not soaked in fruit,even after being in the frig overnight.
Nancy
Would I be able to use frozen berries if I drain them?
Clare
Don't drain them unless they were frozen in syrup.
amidlife
1 3/4 pounds mixed red, black, purple fruit.
I used 40 oz. (two loaves) of potato bread worked for the bread casing. Cut loaves long way to line sides of 2 qt. pudding basin, short way for top, bottom and layers.
After berries simmered, use a colander to separate berries from juice. Dip bread in juice for even saturation. Fill, alternating berry pulp and bread layers, and pour the juice over all.
Juliet Jones
This is a traditional British dessert that I've been eating for 60 years. While Melissa Clark's ingredients are the standard ones, the way she puts the pudding together is different. I think it looks prettier when made the British way, in a pudding basin. It's also more of a "surprise" when first brought to the table; guests don't know what's inside. Look at this BBC recipe, if only to see the photo: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4516/summer-pudding
Clare
That's how my mum has always made it. Also has less bread layers which I prefer.
Dina Gattina
Yes! If you don't have a pudding basin a bowl is prettier than a loaf pan. The delight of summer pudding is intense berry flavor, not cakey sweetness. So I stick with a good country white bread & like one layer of bread in the middle to gives the pudding a bit more body. I use as little sugar as possible, perhaps 1/4 c., just enough to draw out the fruity liquid. And I do like the BBC idea of adding uncooked strawberries to the mix. Keep it fresh, light, and let the berries shine!
Bohemian
This is totally going to depend on the quality of your bread, but even then it's still bread. I kept thinking if you wanted to do something like this quickly it would have been better and more tasty with store-bought angel food cake cut up and used in place of the bread. The berry part was delicious. The bread part was uninspired.
Rick
Trader Joe's has a really good buttery brioche bread - going to try to make this with that.
OzzyCT
Used another recipe, virtually identical. Mine didn't have lemon juice but added a modest amount of liqueur. First time, I followed the recipe (7 cups of berries total / 2 cups strawberries/ 2 cups raspberries / 2 cups blueberries / plus 1 cup raspberries once the berry mixture was off heat). Not enough berries or juice to saturate the bread completely. This time I increased the berries 50% and much more to my liking. I noticed that the strawberries release much more liquid than the others. Yum
BeverlyCY
I used to make this all the time with oldish, stale pound cake. Seriously delicious.
Francesca
What is the answer to Anne's question below? Should it be 1 and 3/4 lbs.?
Judith
I just used 6 ish cups. In blueberries, a full quart is about a pound. Raspberries, of which I used about 2 cups, weigh a bit less. But a healthy 6 cups works fine. My family has made this for generations, and we never measured much, but it is always a summer favorite.
Rick
I always opt for more.
Terry
I have the print copy from The NY Times of July 10, 2013. It calls for 1¾ lbs of berries which is about 6 cups and seems like just the right amount. All other ingredients are the same. I think this is a typo.
Anne
This was very good and very very easy. However - the recipe calls for 3/4 lb berries, about 6 cups. When I measured out 3/4 lb berries (mix of blackberries and raspberries), it was less than 3 cups. I ended up adding another couple of cups of blueberries that I happened to have. So probably 1.25 lb total. But I think that didn't make quite enough syrup - the top layer of bread didn't end up completely soaked. So perhaps the 3/4 lb is incorrect? Maybe 1 and 3/4 lb?
Bohemian
I think it was SUPPOSED to read three to four pounds of berries, not 3/4. I made it today and it's definitely not 3/4 pounds.
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