A Humble Summer Pudding

There’s a certain magic in recipes that require no baking, just a little patience and a lot of love. This Summer Pudding is one of those treasures. It’s not fancy or complicated, but it captures the very essence of the season in a stunning, deep-red package. It’s the kind of dessert that feels like a warm hug, a celebration of berries at their very best.

My grandmother used to make this when the days were long and the kitchen was too hot for the oven. It’s a classic for a reason—simple, refreshing, and utterly delicious. I hope it becomes a staple in your home, too.

Gathering Your Ingredients

You won't need much, just the best summer fruits you can find and a few pantry staples.

• About 900g of mixed summer fruits (like raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants)
• A handful of strawberries
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 7-8 slices of day-old white bread, a good sturdy one
• Cling film, for lining

Bringing Out the Juices

This first step fills your kitchen with the most incredible smell. It’s the heart of the whole pudding.

• Wash your fruit and gently dry it on some kitchen paper. Keep the strawberries separate for now.
• Pop the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water into a large pan. Gently heat it until the sugar dissolves, giving it a stir every so often.
• Bring it to a boil for just 1 minute, then tip in all the fruit except the strawberries.
• Let it cook for about 3 minutes over a low heat, stirring just a couple of times. You’ll know it’s ready when the fruit has softened but is still mostly intact, swimming in a beautiful, dark red juice.
• Set a sieve over a bowl and tip the fruit and juice in, letting the liquid drain through.

Preparing the Basin

Don't be intimidated by this part! The cling film is your best friend here and makes turning the pudding out a breeze.

• Take a 1.25-litre pudding basin and line it with cling film. Overlapping two pieces in the middle is much easier than wrestling with one big sheet. Let the edges overhang the bowl by a good 15cm—you’ll be thankful for this later.
• Now, prepare the bread. Cut the crusts off all the slices. Cut 4 pieces in half on a slight angle to make lopsided rectangles. Cut 2 more slices into 4 triangles each. Leave the final piece whole.

Building Your Pudding

This is where it all comes together. It’s a bit like a tasty jigsaw puzzle.

• Quickly dip the whole piece