Photography: John Paul Urizar. Styling: Olivia Blackmore.
Maggie Beer’s summer pudding is a perfect fruit-filled delight for your Christmas menu. Bursting with fresh berries and served with a lush crème fraîche, this dessert looks as good as it tastes.
Or, in the words of Maggie Beer herself, “Get all the summer fruits inside this easy, make-ahead pudding. A little cassis wouldn’t hurt either! … Summer pudding needs a little patience for the juices to soak through, but this jewel-like classic absolutely sings Christmas celebration!”
The summer pudding requires overnight refrigeration, so it’s a great one to make ahead of Christmas Day.
Ingredients
Method
Place all the berries, the sugar, verjuice and water into a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until berries have softened. Strain the berries over a large bowl, reserving the syrup.
Line a 2-litre (8-cup) pudding basin with a double layer of plastic wrap. Cut slices of bread in half into triangles. Brush one side of bread triangles lightly with syrup. Reserve 5 bread slices, set aside.
Arrange the bread slices, syrup-side down, around the base and side of the prepared basin, slightly overlapping each slice.
Spoon the strained berry mixture into the basin. Arrange the reserved bread over the top of the berries and cover with plastic wrap. Place a small plate on top of the pudding, then place weights on the plate to press the pudding down; refrigerate overnight.
Meanwhile, place the remaining syrup and the jam into a small saucepan over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the syrup has thickened slightly, set aside to cool. Refrigerate until required.
Brush the base of the pudding with a little of the syrup. Turn out the pudding onto a serving plate and brush with a little more of the syrup.
Cut into wedges and serve summer pudding with remaining syrup, crème fraîche and extra fresh berries. Decorate with a sprig of fresh mint, if desired.
What is summer pudding?
This British dessert is a stunning no-bake treat where bread-lined pudding is filled with berries and their syrup, then chilled until the bread transforms into a soft, fruity slice of heaven.
What can I substitute for mulberries?
If you can’t find mulberries, just substitute the weight with any other berry.
What bread is best for summer pudding?
The firm texture of white sandwich bread soaks up all those lovely berry juices. You can also use brioche in place of the sandwich bread.
More Maggie Beer pudding recipes
If you’re after another summer-ready pudding to add to your Christmas menu, check out Maggie Beer’s fruit mince semifreddo with strawberries.
