Summer pudding
See this recipe step by step

Summer pudding

This quintessentially British pud, packed with juicy summer berries, is so much easier than it looks, perfect for beginners

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 10 mins

Plus chilling
Vegetarian

Vegetarian, Low-fat

Counts as 3 of 5-a-day, high in fibre

Method

  1. 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.
  2. 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 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
Try

Spiced apple berry pudding

Use spiced fruit loaf instead of white bread to line the basin. Heat sugar and water together, then gently cook 2 large peeled cored and chopped cooking apples for 5 mins until softened. Add 850g mixed blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and raspberries and 1⁄2 tsp mixed spice and cook for a few mins until the fruit softens. Build the pud and serve with vanilla ice-cream.

Berries over cooked or white patches?

The best thing to do is add more berries, strawberries are best. If your bread is patchy, take the spare juice and spoon it over - people will never know.

The sugar in the pan won't dissolve?

It takes a lot longer than you might think to dissolve caster sugar. Be patient and keep the heat low. It's ready when there's no grittiness at the bottom when you stir.

Apricot berry brioche pudding

For a decadent twist, add 3 tbsp crème de cassis or framboise to the sugar in the pan instead of water. Gently cook about 650g halved and stoned apricots in the syrup for 5 mins, then add about 650g mixed raspberries, blackberries and currants and cook for a few mins more. Line the basin with cling film as before then layer up the fruit and juice- soaked slices of brioche from a large loaf, rather than lining the sides with it. Wrap and weight down the pudding.

Equipment

1.25-litre pudding basin, cling film, sharp knife, chopping board, large pan, large bowl, large sieve, kitchen scissors, side plate, serving plate and one or two cans for weighting down.

Per serving

248 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 57g, fat 1 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 9g, sugar 43g, salt 0.45 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, July 2007.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo pookie

    2008-02-28 16:59:15.746881

    pookie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    its great

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  • Binder photo WillCaxton

    2008-08-06 18:47:04.226953

    WillCaxton commented on this recipe

    I don't know why people always insist on white bread for this dish; wholemeal is infinitely superior (in my opinion).

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  • Binder photo Amanda

    2008-08-17 12:15:27.80022

    Amanda rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Wonderful - kids cant get enough!

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  • Binder photo caramacgirl

    2008-08-31 20:39:20.1478

    caramacgirl commented on this recipe

    Summer pudding is my husband's favourite so when I saw this recipe I thought I should give it a go. I had always been put of because my Mum always used to have problems with 1) The pud stciking to the basin and it ending up in a messy heap on the plate and 2) having white patches of bread with no juice. Both of these were sorted with this recipe with the very sensible cling film and dipping the bread in juice. I did find the strawberries were rather watery in texture by comparison to the rest of the fruit and I would leave them out another time. (Wild alpine ones would be good if you could get them!)

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  • Binder photo Chirsteen

    2008-10-06 18:14:58.013887

    Chirsteen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very easy and very nice. I forgot to line the basin with cling film but just put in the freezer for half an hour and it came out easily and intact. It's a shame it's not found on a search for a dairy free diet as it's ideal for someone with a intolerance to lactose.

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  • Binder photo Linda

    2009-03-07 22:19:52.144211

    Linda rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    So easy to make and great if you want a healthy'ish dessert. You don't need a very large bowl as the fruit reduces. Can be made ahead so is a really great dinner party dessert. I used frozen summer fruits, just thaw them out and coat in the syrup I then added fresh strawberries.

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  • Binder photo Annelore

    2009-06-17 22:47:30.917419

    Annelore rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    My first summer pudding. Thought it was very easy and it tasted great!

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  • Binder photo Crumpy

    2009-07-15 22:53:33.776576

    Crumpy commented on this recipe

    This is a good recipe for a summer dessert which I have always loved. If you want to splurge, try "frosting" it with whipped cream as thinly or thickly as you like!

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  • Binder photo Kathryn

    2009-07-17 13:40:58.757653

    Kathryn rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    A lovely seasonal pudding for this time of year, especially as I have a glut of red and black currants and raspberries from the allotment. I use brioche instead of ordinary bread as it seems to give a nicer texture. Also find that you don't need to add water to fruit as it cooks as enough juice comes out of the berries. I just add the sugar to the fruit whilst cooking. Great on its own but better with s splash of double cream.

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  • Binder photo millycox

    2009-08-07 13:21:00.949041

    millycox commented on this recipe

    Summer pudding is also very good made in a rectangular or square dish about 5cm deep, made with whole slices of bread dipped in the juices and layered with the fruit (3 slices of bread, two layers of fruit) Cover with clingfilm and another dish or something that is made to fit and weighted with a couple of tins of fruit or similar. Chill, and then cut in slices or squares.

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  • Binder photo MaryW, Finland

    2009-08-10 14:17:29.620577

    MaryW, Finland rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is lovely made in individual pudding basins. I made it for 6 and my American guests though it tasted wonderful and looked so pretty! But I did cut down the sugar to 125g as the fruit was nice and ripe, and it tasted brilliant. Definitely one for the folder!

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  • Binder photo Poisson Rouge

    2009-09-02 11:17:48.337991

    Poisson Rouge rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was the the first time I've made a summer pud and I will definately do so again. I put in some grapes rather than the redcurrants and they worked well. Give it a go!

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  • Binder photo mandy

    2009-11-28 10:25:13.470434

    mandy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was the first time I had made a summer pudding and it certainly won't be the last. It is so easy and tastes delicious. Everyone commented on how nice it was. Great!

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  • Binder photo Sarah Potter

    2010-05-28 10:06:54.309365

    Sarah Potter rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    perfect every time

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  • Binder photo Dawnie

    2010-06-12 12:45:35.884973

    Dawnie commented on this recipe

    What size pudding bowl would you recommend?

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  • Binder photo Patricia

    2010-06-13 22:20:48.028869

    Patricia commented on this recipe

    so easy to make and it was perfect ,a lovely desert for a family party. It looked so impressive I served it decorated with a variety of berrys and with home made ice cream .

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  • Binder photo Adam

    2010-07-05 12:28:54.376574

    Adam rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Simple but effective, Can't miss!! My girlfriend and I loved this.

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  • Binder photo Rach Warwick

    2010-07-10 14:38:11.217566

    Rach Warwick rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Summer pudding - so easy and yet SO effective. Who doesn't love it? I forgot to dip the bread in the juice this time so i've got white patches but I'll pour some more juice over it before I serve it. Should do the trick ;o)

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  • Binder photo Lingdada

    2010-07-15 09:24:55.575207

    Lingdada rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Never have I seen such a pudding...it's scrumptious berry overdose! No starter or main course for me!

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  • Binder photo Maycheck

    2010-08-28 22:46:48.369314

    Maycheck commented on this recipe

    Just made it, it's in the fridge to chill overnight! Hopefully will turn out brilliantly! Needed a bit more bread, have couple slices on the side (might be because the bowl I've used is a bit unusual in size). This post is actually for people that can not make their mind up whether to do it or not. I say GO FOR IT! It was very simple to make, if I can do it-anyone can ;) I tasted the fruit and the juice, wasn't too sweet-just right. I will post again only if it doesn't live up to the expectation. Am planning to serve it with a bit of vanilla ice cream :)

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 10 mins

Plus chilling
Vegetarian

Vegetarian, Low-fat

Counts as 3 of 5-a-day, high in fibre

Ingredients

Print this recipe
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Per serving

248 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 57g, fat 1 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 9g, sugar 43g, salt 0.45 g

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