How to make the perfect summer pudding and the common mistakes to avoid

Light, simple and always delicious, an old-fashioned summer pudding is always a welcome addition to an al fresco feast

Make the most of summer berries with this delicious dessert.

Use the best ingredients

This is not a time for tinned or frozen fruit. A summer pudding is one of the most seasonal of desserts and requires fresh berries at all times. 

Mind the gaps

When you are lining your pudding basin, overlap the bread slightly to avoid any spillage. Spend a few minutes ensuring that there are no gaps before filling with your fruit. 

Reserve your juice

Keep any leftover fruit juice for the great unveiling. If there are any white patches on your pudding when you unmold it, simply spoon some of the berry juice over the top. 

Go wild with brioche

While summer pudding traditionally calls for bog-standard white bread, brioche is a fabulous alternative. The rich buttery bread adds a luxurious feel to this light dessert. 

Weigh it down

Adding a weight to the top of your pudding as it chills will ensure the best results. If you don't have kitchen weights, a tin of beans will do the trick nicely. 

Make ahead

Store your summer pudding in its bowl for up to three days in the fridge. 

Summer pudding

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

A summer pudding is an oldie but a goodie. It can include a combination of any soft summer fruits. The amount of sweetener may vary with the sourness or ripeness of the berries

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 60 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 5 mins

Course

 Dessert

Cuisine

 Traditional

Ingredients

• 200g of raspberries

• 100g of redcurrants, tips and stalks removed

• 50g of blackcurrants, tips and stalks removed

• 160g of honey

• 300g of strawberries, stalks removed

• 6 slices of white bread, with the crusts cut off

Method

1. Line a medium-sized pudding bowl with clingfilm.

2. Place the raspberries, red-currants and blackcurrants into a saucepan with three tablespoons of water. You can substitute some of the water for orange blossom or rosewater if you wish. Simmer for about five minutes until the fruit has softened.

3. Line the bowl with the slices of bread as neatly as you can. The clingfilm should help you remove it from the bowl in the end. Place the pudding into the fridge for at least an hour to allow the juice soak into the bread completely. It works well if it is made the day before.