Double Berry Summer Pudding Food

PEACH AND BERRY SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine the strawberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup of water in a large saucepan and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 half-pints of the raspberries and all of the blueberries and peaches and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the framboise.
• Slice the bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices and remove the crusts. In the bottom of a 7 1/2-inch round by 3-inch high soufflé or baking dish, ladle about 1/2 cup of the cooked fruit mixture. Arrange slices of bread on top in a pattern (this will become the top when the pudding is unmolded) and then add more fruit mixture to saturate. Continue adding bread, cutting it to fit the mold, and fruit. Finish with bread and cooked fruit, using all of the fruit and syrup.
• Place a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the pudding. Find a plate approximately the same diameter as the inside of the mold and place it on top. Weight the mold with a heavy can and refrigerate overnight.
• Just before serving, run a knife around the outside of the pudding and unmold it upside down onto a serving plate. Serve in wedges with whipped cream.
• Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla. Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Serve cold.

DOUBLE-BERRY SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Bring frozen strawberries and boysenberries to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil until slightly thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Mix in brandy.
• Line 3-cup soufflé dish with plastic wrap. Cut cake into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Cut slices into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips. Line bottom of dish then sides with cake strips, pressing and adjusting as needed to fit strips closely together. Trim cake to 1/2-inch overhang over top rim if necessary. Mix 1/2 cup diced cake trimmings into fruit mixture. Spoon fruit mixture into prepared dish. Cover top of fruit filling with cake and press gently to compress. Wrap pudding tightly with plastic, pressing down again on top to compress. Chill overnight.
• Unwrap pudding and turn out onto plate. Peel off plastic. Cut pudding into 4 pieces. Place pudding on each of 4 plates. Spoon yogurt over as sauce. Garnish with strawberry slices and serve.

SUMMER BERRY PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, add the fruit (reserving a few berries for garnish). Add the sugar and cook until the fruit is starting to release some liquid, is tender and beginning to burst, but still holds its shape, about 5 minutes.
• Line a large 6-cup pudding bowl with plastic wrap, allowing lots of overhang.
• Remove the crusts from 10 to 12 slices of bread. Press the bread slices briefly in the juices at the top of the berries in the pot then lay them into the bowl, juice-side down, ensuring there are no spaces. Use smaller pieces to overlap or close gaps in spaces, as needed.
• Remove the berries from the heat, and cool slightly. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the fruit into the bread-lined bowl, and top with a final layer of bread and spoon a bit more of the juices over the top to color the top layer of bread evenly. Reserve the remaining cooking juices for serving. Cover with the plastic wrap and place a plate over the top. Add a large heavy can or a 2-pound weight to the plate and let sit at least 8 hours, or overnight, refrigerated.
• On serving, whip the cream until soft peaks just begin to form. Add the sugar and whip until almost stiff.
• Gently invert the bowl onto a large serving dish, shaking it lightly to loosen. Peel the plastic wrap off, and spoon the reserved juice all over, to soak any bits of bread that still look white. Serve with a bowl of whipped cream on the side, or cut individual wedges, and add a dollop of cream and a berry or two for garnish.

DOUBLE-BERRY SUMMER PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Line six 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes with plastic wrap, overlapping sides by at least 2 inches. Using 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out 1 round from each of 12 bread slices. Place 1 bread round in bottom of each custard cup. Cut remaining 6 bread slices into 1-inch-wide strips. Line sides of custard cups with bread strips, trimming to fit and lining cups completely.
• Combine 2 1/2 cups raspberries and 2 1/2 cups blackberries, sugar, currant jelly, 1/4 cup water and lemon juice in large saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium; sim-mer until berries soften and begin to release juices, about 5 minutes (some berries will fall apart). Divide warm berry mixture among bread-lined cups, reserving 1/2 cup juices. Cover berry mixture with remaining 6 bread rounds, pressing down slightly. Pour 1/2 cup berry juices over puddings. Fold in plastic overhang. Place small plates atop puddings; weight down with cans. Chill overnight.
• Remove cans and plates. Unfold plastic wrap. Invert puddings onto plates; remove plastic. Spoon Vanilla Whipped Cream alongside. Garnish with additional berries, if desired.

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.