There was an expression—“too good to use”—at a certain well-known restaurant where I used to work. One of the cooks coined the phrase to describe what we, the pastry people, would do: hoard beautiful fruits and berries, buying much more than we could possibly use. We considered the fruits so precious that we’d hold off using them, waiting for something very special or just the right moment. Eventually, though, we’d find ourselves with a glut on our hands and had to scramble to use up our stash before it went bad. If you find yourself in a similar position or if you’re just looking for the great summer dessert loaded with lots of juicy berries, this is it. And if anyone says your summer pudding looks too good to eat, don’t believe them. Just dig right in.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 servings

　　5 cups (1 1/2 pounds/680 g) raspberries

　　5 cups (1 1/2 pounds/680 g) blackberries

　　1 1/2 cups (12 ounces/340 g) red currants, stemmed

　　1 cup (200 g) sugar

　　2 teaspoons kirsch or freshly squeezed lemon juice

　　1 loaf (1 pound/450 g) firm-textured white bread (such as pain de mie), crust removed and cut into 1/2-inch (1.5-cm) slices

　　

Step 1

In a large saucepan over low heat, gently warm the berries, red currants, and sugar. Cook until the berries soften and release their juices, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the kirsch or lemon juice. Let cool, stirring occasionally to encourage juiciness.

　　

Step 2

Line a 1 1/2-quart (1.5-liter) soufflé dish or a deep bowl of similar size with plastic wrap. Line the bottom and sides with a single layer of bread slices, trimming the slices as needed to fit snugly against each other. Ladle half of the berries and their juice into the bread-lined dish and distribute them evenly.

　　

Step 3

Arrange a single layer of bread slices over the berries, trimming to fit. Add the remaining berries and juice, then cover with a final layer of bread.

　　

Step 4

Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the pudding, cover with a plate slightly smaller in diameter than the dish, and place a fairly heavy object (such as a large can of tomatoes) on the plate to weigh the pudding down. Refrigerate overnight.

　　

Step 5

The next day, remove the plastic wrap and invert the pudding onto a plate. Lift off the dish or bowl and the plastic used to line it.

　　

Serving

Step 6

Serve with whipped cream (page 239). Depending on how juicy the berries were that you used to make the pudding, you may wish to have some additional lightly sweetened berries or Raspberry Sauce (page 246) on hand to douse any unsoaked areas.

　　

Storage

Step 7

The pudding, in its mold, will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

　　

Variation

Step 8

Because red currants add a distinctive bit of tang, they are an important addition to this dessert and they’re worth seeking out. But they can be difficult to find. If so, use another pint of raspberries in their place.

　　

tip

Step 9

You can use frozen unsweetened berries in place of the fresh ones.

　　Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. Copyright © 2010 by David Lebovitz. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.David Lebovitz lived in San Francisco for twenty years before moving to Paris. He baked at several notable restaurants before starting his career as a cookbook author and food writer. He's the author of four highly regarded books on desserts, and has written for many major food magazines, sharing his well-tested recipes written with a soupçon of humor. His popular, award-winning blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, entertains readers from around the world with sweet and savory recipes as he tries to unravel the complexities of living in Paris.