An Autumn “Summer Pudding” Recipe for Sunday Lunch
A British classic, a Summer Pudding is a thing of sublime beauty – swathes of gently poached berries and currants encased in a shell of soft bread, it’s an easy recipe to make and makes good use of excess berries (and currants) you may have throughout the summer as well as the autumn. Sometimes called “Summer Fruit Pudding”, it’s usually autumn before I make my first one, mainly due to the glut of raspberries I have growing in the garden and the onset of the first brambles (blackberries). The recipe’s origins are unknown, although I have read that they were a popular dessert at health spas during the 1800’s, where they were called “Hydropathic Puddings”, but I suspect a thrifty housewife with stale bread to use up, a bowl of berries and currants at hand and a hungry family to feed, or, even a downstairs “country house” cook trying to make the most of her budget for the upstairs employers and a summer garden party dessert. Whatever the origins of this classic pudding, it is indeed a thrifty way to use stale bread and an excess of summer or autumn fruits.
A summer pudding is unbaked, and therefore saves on fuel too…..but, you do need to make it the day before (or at least 12 hours) before you serve it, so the juices have a chance to permeate the bread shell and the pudding also sets or firms up. You must use stale bread and your bread must be “man enough” to stand up to a long overnight soak……so, plastic white sliced bread is not the best choice; I tend to use bread that I made or that I have sliced from a commercially made loaf, the slices need to be trimmed of crusts but robust enough to withstand all the juices that seep into the pudding, so it doesn’t disintegrate and/or collapse when it is turned out to serve. White bread is best for a classic summer pudding recipe, as wholemeal doesn’t give the same ruby-red glow…….I also think that the wheat germ texture of wholemeal bread is at odds with the silky smooth fruit filling, but that’s just me! Be careful if you add black currants, as these wily little rogues have a very pungent flavour and they have a tendency to “take over” the overall taste of the pudding.
To make this classic British pud, please follow my recipe below, which has some step by step images attached to make the whole process easier. You need a good old-fashioned pudding basin too – mine is made by Churchill China and is part of the Caravan Trail – the pattern is Penzance – and as you can see the blue & white really compliments the jewel-like colours of the pudding. As regular readers will know, I am proud to be the UK Food Blog Ambassador for Churchill China, and this post is part of my annual calendar of recipes made using their fabulous products. All my other recipes (and posts) can be found here: Churchill China..…..so do pop over to see what other recipes I have creates, such as Porridge with Maple Syrup & Pecans, Newfoundland Toutons with Butter & Maple Syrup Butter, Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” (French Toast), Chocolate Marmalade Brioche Bread and Butter Pudding and 5:2 and Weight Watchers Diet Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Soup.
That’s all for today, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and if you are stuck for what to make for a family dessert for Sunday lunch, this is the pud for you! See you soon, Karen
Disclaimer: I received a Churchill china Penzance dinnerware service for free, in order to share and showcase the china with my readers as part of my sponsored collaboration with Churchill China. I was not asked to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own. Karen S Burns-Booth
Summer Pudding
Print recipe
| Serves | 6 to 8 servings |
| Prep time | 24 hours, 15 minutes |
| Allergy | Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Birthday Party, Casual Party, Formal Party |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 900g (2lbs) to 1.25g (2lbs 10ozs) mixed berries and currants (such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants)
- 150g caster sugar
- 8 slices of day-old sliced white bread, crusts removed
Note
A true British classic, this traditional summer pudding makes good use of any fresh (or frozen) berries and currants and can be made the day before you need to serve it. Make sure that you do not use too many blackcurrants, as they have a very strong flavour and will mask the taste of the other berries and currants that are used.
Directions
| Step 1 |
 Put the berries and currants in a large pan with the sugar and about 2 to 3 tablespoons water; bring to the boil and then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar if necessary. Sieve the fruit and pour the juices into a jug. Set to one side. |
| Step 2 |
 Line a 900g (2lb) pudding basin with slices of the white bread - see photos - making sure that all seams overlap so the juice will not run out. Gently spoon some of the juices from the poached fruit over the bread to soften it slightly. |
| Step 3 |
 Spoon the poached fruit into the bread lined basin and then pour a little juice over the top. Place a slice of bread on top of the fruit, making sure it fits exactly and cover the pudding with a saucer that just sits inside the pudding bowl before placing a weight on top of the saucer (or a large tin of beans etc). Place the pudding in the fridge overnight. Keep any excess fruit and juices for serving. |
| Step 4 |
 Just before you want to serve the summer pudding, remove the weight and saucer, out a serving plate on top of the pudding and carefully (invert) turn the basin over to release the pudding. |
| Step 5 |
 Spoon over any excess juices and serve with any extra fruit and a dollop of thick cream. |
As this is a FRUITY recipe, I am adding it to the Four Seasons Food challenge for September, which is run by Anneli and Louisa over at Delicieux and Eat Your Veg, where the theme for this month is FRUIT
Baby June says
That looks awesome! I’ve never thought of making a pudding in such a shape, but I love it!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much! It’s a classic British pudding made in a pudding bowl!
Sally - My Custard Pie says
This is the taste of my childhood – summer in the garden. It is the perfect thrifty dish to use up stale bread and deal with the sudden summer glut of fruit in the garden. I love it. I’ve eaten many cheffy versions in gastro pubs but your method is the way we made it. I love it with redcurrants as we used to have loads. My Mum would bottle the currants too – beautiful in a tart mid-winter. Lovely dish Karen.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Snap Sally – also a taste of my childhood too, and I remember my grandmother picking the berries for it….happy memories. Karen
Dom says
This is one of my all time favourite puddings. I love it dazzled with lashings of cream. Love your step by step photos. So pretty xx
Karen Burns-Booth says
I also love it with lashings of cream too Dom…..Karen xx
What Kate Baked says
I can’t think of a finer use for the last of the summer berries and such pretty china for this classic pud Karen!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Kate – I love blue and white with slut red berries, it really makes the berries pop!
Nicola says
This is my husband’s favourite pudding. I freeze fruit to make one at Christmas just to please him. My food is how I show love to my family.
Karen Burns-Booth says
What a great idea to make this as an alternative Christmas pudding Nicola!
DANIELLE VEDMORE says
I love summer pudding! Havent made one for years though. So delicious!
Karen Burns-Booth says
They are so easy to make Danielle, and you can make them with frozen fruit too!
Alison says
This looks beautiful. I have always wanted to try Summer pudding but always been scared to as I thought it was hard. May have to try now
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
Such a rich gorgeous colour dessert to go with the really lovely crockery too.
Vohn says
That looks glorious Karen. I don’t think I’ve ever had a summer pudding. I can’t remember my mum ever making one, although I know if she did I would have turned my nose up. Now though – oh my – I’m drooling at the thought of it!
Fiona Maclean says
Summer pudding is such a classic, but the only way I can have it is to make my own because of the strawberry allergy, so thanks for the recipe
Choclette says
This looks so good Karen. I love summer pudding and it always reminds me of one of my aunts who makes it regularly. Luckily I’m not looking on feeling too envious as we went out to friends for dinner last night and they had made one – so I feasted and now feel sated 🙂
Angela - Garden Tea Cakes and Me says
That pudding bowl is a thing of beauty! Now is the time for me to confess that I have NEVER tried Summer Pudding EVER, though I do love berries. Probably best if I’m not wearing a white top when I do try it, I’m sure to get that lovely berry juice all over me 🙂
Angela
Sarah Fawcett says
This looks amazing and i’ve got some blackberries in the freezer that we picked a few months ago, perfect, got the family coming for lunch on Sunday
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
This looks delicious! Love summer pudding, one of my favourites!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Jess!
Louisa Foti says
Oh I do LOVE a summer or even an ‘autumn’ pudding Karen! Packed full of so much good stuff and actually very easy to make. Thanks so much for linking up to September’s Four Seasons Food “Getting Fruity” challenge, and my sincere apologies for only getting around to reading your post now. As ever ADORE your Churchill ‘Penzance’ range.