Berry Summer Pudding

By Melissa Clark

Updated June 20, 2023

Berry Summer Pudding
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes, plus at least 6 hours’ chilling
Rating
4(217)
Comments
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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

  1. 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

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
217 user ratings
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Comments

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?

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.

Francesca

What is the answer to Anne's question below? Should it be 1 and 3/4 lbs.?

Susan

See Amanda Hesser's recipe for "Summer Pudding," for a slightly different take on this using brioche and a delightful finishing sauce of mascarpone and creme fraiche. https://daily4you.info/recipes/6764-summer-pudding%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cdiv class="noteactions_noteActions__VlyP0">

Ann

I found this recipe to be quite bland. Maybe the berries were not sweet enough. But honestly I think the real problem is eye appeal. It’s pretty disgusting to look at. It’s very flesh like and visceral. Looks bloody. The bread soaked in berry juice also didn’t taste all that great. Sponge cake as mentioned by someone else I think might be a little better. It felt like an experiment gone wrong. My friends and I had some big laughs in the kitchen.

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.

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