Vanilla Scented Mixed Fruit Summer Pudding Food

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.

VANILLA PUDDING FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Zest the lime.
• Drain one of the cans of peaches into a large bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons pudding mix into the juice.
• Drain remaining can of peaches, mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks. (Juice is not needed for this recipe).
• Add all fruit and lime zest to the pudding mixture. Gently stir to combine.
• Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

VANILLA-SCENTED MIXED-FRUIT SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Place the sugar and vanilla bean in a tightly sealed container and set aside for at least 24 hours. Remove the bean and save for making more vanilla sugar.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the brioche slices in a 10 1/2-by-14 3/4-by-2 1/4-inch baking dish in a single or slightly overlapping layer. Place the peaches in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of vanilla sugar. Layer the peaches over the bread. Place the strawberries in the bowl, toss with 1/4 cup of the sugar and layer them over the peaches. Place the blueberries in the bowl, toss with 1/4 cup of the sugar and scatter them over the strawberries. Scatter the raspberries over the top.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the fruit is very soft but not mushy, about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Serve warm or at room temperature.

VANILLA PUDDING FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Combine bananas, apples and lemon juice in large mixing bowl.
• Toss until evenly coated.
• Add pineapple, strawberries, grapes and pecans.
• In small mixing bowl, combine pudding mix, water and pineapple juice with a wire whisk until smooth.
• Add pudding mixture to fruit.
• Mix gently until throughly coated.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

VANILLA PUDDING MIX

Steps:

• Combine first 4 ingredients into a large bowl, mixing well with each addition. Pour into a food processor and process until a fine powder.
• At this stage you can put it into a jar with a good seal, label and add a card with the following instructions for gifting, or label it for your own future use.
• Over double boiler, with water to boiling stage, put 1 cup of powdered pudding mix into saucepan, slowly adding milk while you stir (I used a whisk for lighter fluffier pudding) Stir constantly for approximately 10-15 minutes or until pudding comes to thickness of your liking. Remove from double boiler, add vanilla and butter, whisk or stir until throughly blended.
• Pour into individual serving dishes and refrigerate.
• NOTE:.
• Due to DH illness I used reconstituted dry milk for the 2 c milk, this does affect the flavor slightly.

FRESH FRUIT AND WARM VANILLA PUDDING CUSTARD PARFAITS

Steps:

• Make the fruit salad: Combine the fresh fruits in a bowl with the sugar, lemon juice, lemon verbena and lemon balm. Cover and refrigerate.
• Make the Vanilla Pudding Custard, about 1 hour before serving: In a microwave safe 2-quart bowl, whisk together the pudding mix, milk, brandy, vanilla extract and scraped vanilla bean and seeds. Cook in the microwave on high heat for 6-8 minutes, whisking every two minutes, until thickened.
• Make the Whipped Cream: Whip the cream until soft peaks form; add the vanilla extract and sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form.
• Assemble the parfaits: Place a mini shortcake in the bottom of each individual dessert or parfait glass (I used mini trifle glasses). Ladle the warm vanilla pudding custard over the shortcakes. Spoon the fruit salad over, and top with whipped cream. Garnish tops of parfaits with fresh sprigs of lemon verbena, lemon balm, or fresh fruit.

VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl until smooth; whisk in cornstarch mixture.
• Combine milk, remaining sugar, and vanilla-bean scrapings in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly pour milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly.
• Return mixture to saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and transfer mixture to a medium heat-proof bowl.
• Whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Set bowl in ice bath, stirring occasionally, until chilled. Serve pudding with chocolate shavings on top, if desired.

VANILLA PUDDING WITH FRUIT COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Beat pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Refrigerate 5 min.
• Spoon into 4 dessert dishes.
• Top with fruit cocktail.