Summer Pudding

10 servings

Summer pudding is an old-time English dessert that makes use of stale white bread and fresh summer berries, lightly cooked to release their juices. It’s lovely served on its own or with whipped cream. Use blueberries, strawberries and raspberries.

14 to 16 ½-inch-thick slices firm Italian bread, crusts removed
8 cups berries, hulled, rinsed and dried
⅔ cup sugar

In large, nonaluminum saucepan, combine berries and sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and berries release their juice but still retain some shape, about 10 minutes. Place berries in large sieve over bowl to catch juices.
Swirl some of the berry juice in the bottom and up sides of flat-bottom, glass or ceramic mold or bowl with a 3-quart capacity. Cover bottom and sides up to 1 1/2 inches from top of mold with bread slices, cutting pieces to fit any holes. Pour a little more reserved juice over bread on sides. Add half the fruit. Top with layer of bread, piecing to fit. Cover with remaining fruit, then with layer of bread, piecing to fit. Pour in all but 1/2 cup remaining juice, brushing with pastry brush to cover bread. Cover top bread layer with plastic wrap. Place flat plate or pot or smaller mold on top. Weight with four 15-oz. cans (pumpkin, beans, tomatoes). Set on plate to catch any drips. Refrigerate overnight.
To serve, remove weights and plastic wrap. Loosen edges of pudding carefully with spatula. Invert onto serving plate. Brush any white bread spots with reserved juice. Slice into wedges with serrated knife.

July 1998