English Summer Puddings Recipes

EASY ENGLISH SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Stir the water and sugar together and bring to a gentle boil. Add all the berries and fruits except the strawberries. Stew the fruits very gently and not for too long. They should simply be softened but still retain their shape. Once you feel they are ready put them to one side (juice and all) and leave to cool.
• Cut the slices of bread into half-each half into triangles. They do not all have to match perfectly; you will use these to line a 1 1/2-pint (700-milliliter) pudding.
• Start by lining your pudding basin with cling film. Then continue by dipping a couple of triangles in the juices of the stewed fruits . Lay these in the bottom of the dish and then continue the same way but lining the sides of the basin with bread slices ensuring there are no gaps.
• Once completed, fill with the stewed fruits including the strawberries. Cover the top with more juice dipped bread slices. Make sure not to add too much of the juices from the fruits as this may cause the bread to lose its shape. There must be enough to soak into the bread, though.
• Place a saucer on the top of the basin and weigh down with something heavy like a tin of tomatoes or beans is ideal. Place in the refrigerator and leave overnight.
• The next day, turn the pudding out onto a pretty serving plate and serve with either the whipped cream or make some lovely custard sauce . If you are lucky enough to have scorching sunny weather, then serve with ice cream.
• Enjoy.

RASPBERRY SUMMER PUDDING (ENGLISH STYLE)

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, and raspberries. Cook, stirring carefully so as not to damage the berries, until the mixture is hot, and the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Line a 1 quart bowl with 5 slices of bread. Pour the raspberry mixture over the bread, and place the last slice of bread on top. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Place a weight on top of the bowl (canned goods work well), and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, remove plastic wrap, and invert onto a plate. Serve chilled, with whipped cream on the side.

SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Bring out the juices: Wash fruit and gently dry on kitchen paper - keep strawberries separate. Put sugar and 3 tbsp water into a large pan. Gently heat until sugar dissolves - stir a few times. Bring to a boil for 1 min, then tip in the fruit (not strawberries). Cook for 3 mins over a low heat, stirring 2-3 times. The fruit will be softened, mostly intact and surrounded by dark red juice. Put a sieve over a bowl and tip in the fruit and juice.
• Line the bowl with cling film and prepare the bread: Line the 1.25-litre basin with cling film as this will help you to turn out the pudding. Overlap two pieces of cling film in the middle of the bowl as it's easier than trying to get one sheet to stick to all of the curves. Let the edges overhang by about 15cm. Cut the crusts off the bread. Cut 4 pieces of bread in half, a little on an angle, to give 2 lopsided rectangles per piece. Cut 2 slices into 4 triangles each and leave the final piece whole.
• Build the pud: Dip the whole piece of bread into the juice for a few secs just to coat. Push this into the bottom of the basin. Now dip the wonky rectangular pieces one at a time and press around the basin's sides so that they fit together neatly, alternately placing wide and narrow ends up. If you can't quite fit the last piece of bread in it doesn't matter, just trim into a triangle, dip in juice and slot in. Now spoon in the softened fruit, adding the strawberries here and there as you go.
• Let flavours mingle then serve: Dip the bread triangles in juice and place on top - trim off overhang with scissors. Keep leftover juice for later. Bring cling film up and loosely seal. Put a side plate on top and weight down with cans. Chill for 6 hrs or overnight. To serve, open out cling film then put a serving plate upside-down on top and flip over. serve with leftover juice, any extra berries and cream.

ENGLISH PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix fruits and dry ingredients first. Then mix with lightly beaten eggs and liquids. Grease the bottom of a bowl large enough to hold pudding and press mixture into it. Place waxed paper over the top and then foil over that, crimping it around the edges to keep firm. Either steam for 2 hours in pressure cooker with about 2 inches water or put in pan with water on the stove and steam for 4 hours. Keep checking water in pan to prevent burning. Store well wrapped for 3 to 4 months.
• To make the brandy cream, add butter, sugar and brandy in a stand mixer and mix on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Steam for 1 hour before serving, then release the pudding mold into the center of a plate. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar. Warm 1/4 cup of cognac in a small pot. Cup the cognac in a large basting spoon until it flames, then pour the cognac over the pudding. Top with a dollop of the brandy cream. Slice and serve.

ENGLISH SUMMER PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Combine strawberries and sugar in a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook until berries release their juices and sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Add blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, and cook until they release their juices but still hold their shape, about 5 minutes; the mixture will look like a thick soup. Remove from heat, and transfer to a mixing bowl to cool. Stir in lemon juice and salt.
• Line six 1/2-cup ramekins with plastic wrap. Cut a circle to the diameter of a ramekin from each slice bread.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the berry mixture into each ramekin. Dip six circles of bread into the bowl of berries, one at a time, saturating them; place one in each ramekin. Cover with 2 tablespoons more of the berry mixture. Continue until you have three layers of bread and berries, ending with bread. If there is not enough juice to saturate all the bread, press remaining berries through a coarse sieve to yield more juice. When complete, bread and berries should be brimming over the tops of the ramekins.
• Arrange ramekins in a shallow baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and place a board on top large enough to cover them all. Weight the board with heavy cans (about 5 pounds), and refrigerate overnight.
• To serve, combine cream, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar in a chilled metal bowl; whip until stiff but soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove top layer of plastic wrap, and invert puddings onto plates; remove ramekins. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

ENGLISH SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine first seven ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Set aside.
• Cut cake into 1 inch thick slices; cut each slice in half diagonally to make 2 triangles.
• Line the bottom and sides of a 3 quart straight sided glass bowl or trifle bowl with half of the cake pieces; spoon half of the peach mixture into cake-lined bowl.
• Arrange half of remaining cake pieces over the peach mixture, and spoon remaining peach mixture over cake.
• Top with remaining cake pieces.
• Place plastic wrap on surface of cake pieces, and place a small plate on top of plastic wrap; place a one pound can on plate to press mixture.
• Chill for 8 hours.
• Remove plate and plastic wrap.
• Garnish with additional fresh berries, if desired.