Summer Pudding

Summer pudding, packed with juicy fresh berries, is one of my all time favorite desserts of the summer.

This pudding looks spectacular when plated, giving the impression it's a pretty complicated recipe, but making this classically English dessert is so much easier than it looks.

It's so easy in fact, I think it's a perfect recipe for beginners.

The red and blue fruits of this pudding are perfectly highlighted by white serving cream, making this a perfect dessert for 4th of July celebrations. So today I plan to make summer pudding converts of all my American readers.

Table of Contents

An Irish and English Dessert

Summer pudding is a vintage dessert that was frequently made in Ireland and the United Kingdom in days gone by.

It was created to use up stale bread and any glut of summer or autumn fruits. You will sometimes hear it referrred to as autumn pudding when primarily made with blackberries.

When in Ireland I make this pudding using strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, and red currants.

In a previous post I revealed my love of blackcurrants and my disappointment upon finding they are actually illegal to grow in some parts of America.

Once I discovered currants are not grown in all states, and therefore not readily available, I substituted blueberries for the red and black currants in my summer pudding recipe.

And always remember, if you can't get your hands on enough fresh fruit, this pudding is just as delicious when made using frozen fruit.

If you don't have a pudding bowl you can make it in a loaf tin - no need to be fussy. Individual ramekins look really attractive too.

This pudding looks very impressive, and can be made ahead, so it's a really a great dinner party dessert.

I often imagine the gentry of Downton Abbey enjoying a little summer pudding in July.

And so here's my recipe.....

Ingredients for Summer Pudding

Here's a quick list of what you'll need. Check the printable recipe near the bottom of this post for US and Metric equivalent measurements. You can choose the best version for you.

• fresh strawberries (some for the pudding and the remainder to garnish)
• fresh blackberries
• fresh raspberries
• fresh blueberries
• sugar
• water
• slices white bread (day old bread is best)

Directions for Berry Summer Pudding

Here you'll find step-by-step photographic instructions for creating your own summer pudding.

Make a Berry Syrup

The first step involves bringing out the juices from the fruits.

Add the sugar and water to a large saucepan over gentle heat.

Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and allow the syrup to simmer for 1 minute.

Add the raspberries, blackberries and blueberries to the syrup and reduce the heat to low.

Some summer pudding cooks like to heat the strawberries too, but I find they turn too mushy when simmered. I recommend not cooking the strawberries.

Cook the fruit for 3 minutes, stirring the mixture gently a few times, being careful not to break up the fruit.

Shaking the saucepan works well to prevent sticking, but you do need to stir a little to cover the fruit in sugar syrup to draw out the juices.

Remove the fruit from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Strain the fruit using a sieve over a large bowl.

Cut the Bread to Line a Pudding Bowl

The next step involves preparing the bread to line the sides of the pudding bowl. I use a 1.5 quart pudding bowl for this recipe. I find a country white bread is best, but you can use whole wheat bread or brioche.

• First remove the crusts from all the slices of bread.
• The sides require 4 slices of bread cut in half on a slight diagonal.
• 3 circles of bread are required for the bottom of the bowl, the middle of the pudding and to cover the base.
• Use the bowl to cut a circle the size of the small end of the bowl from one slice of bread.
• Place 2 slices of bread side by side, and use a saucer to cut two semi-circles. This will be the circle for the middle of the pudding.
• Place 2 slices of bread side by side with another one perpendicular, and cut a circle the size of the large open end of the bowl.

Dip The Bread In Fruit Juice

Use 2 x 20 inch sheets of plastic film to line a 1.5 quart pudding bowl, allowing the excess film to hang over the sides of the bowl. I find it’s easier to use two pieces of plastic wrap rather than trying to get one large piece to fit into the bowl.

Without the plastic wrap the pudding may end up sticking to the basin. Nobody wants a messy heap on plate when serving. I like to dip the bread pieces in the juices as I assemble the pudding. It prevents white patches of bread with no juice in the finished pudding.

Note: A reader let me know his finished pudding would not hold its shape, even when chilled overnight. He may have oversoaked the bread pieces. The goal of dipping the bread pieces is to color them red, so only dip them long enough to get an even color on the outer surface of each piece. Saturating the bread will result in a wobbly pudding.

Line the Pudding Bowl with Bread

• First, take the smallest circle of bread and dip it into the fruit juices to coat it. Place it at the very bottom of the pudding bowl.
• Next dip the triangular side pieces into the juice. Line the sides of the bowl by slightly overlapping the bread pieces.
• Add the sliced strawberries to the fruit mixture.
• Spoon one third of the fruit into the bowl.
• Dip the smaller two semi-circular bread pieces into the fruit juice. Place them over the first layer of fruit.

Fill the Pudding with Fruit

I like to add this extra layer of bread in the middle of the pudding. I find it helps to support the fruit and the pudding doesn’t collapse when you cut it for serving.

• Add the remainder of the fruit to the pudding bowl.
• Soak the larger semi-circles of bread in the juice and place them over the fruit in the bowl.

Reserve any excess juice in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Sometimes when I make this pudding I have left over juices, and sometimes the bread just soaks it all right up.

The amount of juice yielded is totally dependent upon how juicy your fresh fruit is. I usually keep a bag of frozen raspberries in the freezer. If the fruit I am using doesn’t yield enough fruit juice to completely soak the bread pieces, I quickly heat up some frozen raspberries with sugar and water to yield a little more juice.

• Bring the cling film up and over the bottom of the pudding.
• Place a smaller plate or saucer on top of the pudding and weigh it down with cans. Sometimes I just place another bowl filled with water on top.

• Chill in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
• To remove the pudding for serving, open out the saran wrap.
• Place a serving plate upside-down on top and flip the pudding over.
• Remove the saran wrap.
• Decorate with left over strawberries or any other fruit.

Serve slices or scoops of the pudding with any leftover juices plus freshly whipped cream or ice cream.

I hope you enjoy this pudding as much as I do - it truly is a taste of summer.

Recipe Card for Summer Pudding

Here's a video outlining how to make this summer pudding.

Here is the printable recipe card.

Happy no-bake cooking from my home to yours.

More No Bake Desserts

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Easy Vegan Raspberry Cheesecakes

Banoffee Pie

Rolo Rocky Roads

Irish Whiskey Chocolate Mousse Pie

Strawberry Mousse Trifle

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