I knew the minute I read this month’s Southern Living, that the “Make-Ahead Berry Pudding” was a must-try. Besides, Memorial Day weekend is coming up and this red, white, and blue dessert would be the perfect addition to the menu. I decided to do a trial run just to see how it turned out so I cut the recipe down to fit in my smallest CorningWare dish (2-4 servings). The original recipe calls for cherries but since they aren’t in season up here yet, I added more strawberries and blueberries instead. Also, I used frozen blueberries because the fresh ones are still fairly expensive, since it’s so early in the season. I let them thaw a little before adding them to the saucepan and I added 1/4 cup water instead of 1/2 cup later on. It turned out perfectly!
Summer Berry Pudding
Recipe adapted from Southern Living
Ingredients:
3/4 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh blackberries
1/8 cup sugar
2 T. orange juice
1 (3-oz.) package soft ladyfingers
Directions:Stir together berries and sugar in large, stainless steel saucepan and let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/4-1/2 cup water; cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes or just until berries begin to break. Remove from heat. Stir in orange juice and let cool 20 minutes.
To prepare dish, line a small CorningWare dish (24-oz.) with plastic wrap. Spoon 1/3 of berry mixture into prepared dish, spreading to cover bottom evenly. Arrange a layer of ladyfingers, pressing and trimming to cover berry mixture. Repeat layers twice.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place a small plate (approximately the same size as the inside of the dish) directly on top. Place a heavy can or jar on plate and chill 12 hours. Unmold pudding onto serving plate and garnish with fresh berries and mint sprigs. Slice into pieces, top with whipped cream, and serve immediately. Makes 2-4 servings.
