Berry pudding

What a truly exotic and simple dessert to make when berries are at their peak of flavor.  When I hear “pudding” I think of the chocolate puddings I ate as a girl, this recipe is a type of pudding called a bread pudding.  The history of “bread pudding” is a dish with very old roots. It evolved as a use for stale bread, many years ago.  Cooks from many cultures throughout history did not want to waste stale bread, so they invented many dishes, both savory and sweet, that utilized it. Today, bread pudding is still made, but its current forms tend to be far more luxurious than its humble origins. Modern bread puddings often utilize fresh, gourmet breads, such as brioche, and include expensive ingredients, such as vanilla beans, bourbon, Gruyere cheese or pecans. Sweet bread puddings may also be served with a variety of sauces and fruit.

Ingredients

• 5 cups mixed fresh berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries (about 3 pints)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• (optional) 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 18 thin slices white sandwich bread

Directions

1. In a saucepan, cook berries, water and lemon juice over medium heat until berries release their juices but still hold their shape, about 2 minutes, scrape vanilla beans from vanilla pod and add to berry mixture. Stir in sugar and salt; cook until dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Strain sauce into a bowl through a sieve or colander; do not discard the berries, set aside. Let cool.
2. Line a cupcake tin with plastic wrap, pressing it into cups. Using cookie cutters or an inverted glass, cut out six 2 1/4-inch rounds and twelve 2 3/4-inch rounds from bread.
3. Pour 1 tablespoon sauce into each cup; add 1 tablespoon of reserved cooked berries. Top with smaller bread rounds; add another tablespoon each of sauce and berries. Make another layer of bread, sauce, and berries; top with remaining bread rounds. Press down firmly with the bottom of a glass.
4. Fold plastic over; cover with a baking sheet. Weight with a heavy skillet. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
5. To serve, pull up on plastic wrap, and gently unmold each pudding onto plates; drizzle with sauce.

Cook’s Note

Using a cupcake tin lined with plastic wrap makes it easy to form, transport, and unmold the chilled puddings.