Active Time

　　20 minutes

　　Total Time

　　8 3/4 hours

　　A little easy preparation, plus time, yields a gorgeous old-fashioned English dessert that showcases summer berries in the most glorious way. The bread retains a bit of its texture and absorbs all the natural juices exuded by the berries for a cool, smooth intensity.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

　　1 unsliced rectangular loaf of brioche or good-quality firm white bread such as Pullman (1 pound), crusts discarded

　　4 cups blueberries (1 pound)

　　5 cups raspberries (18 ounces)

　　1 cup sugar

　　1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

　　Equipment: a deep 2 1/2-quart bowl (preferably 8 inches in diameter across top and 3 inches across bottom); a platter with a lip

　　1 platter with a lip

　　Accompaniment: lemon verbena ice cream

　　

Step 1

Cut bread into 14 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Cut out a 3-inch round from 1 slice and put in bottom of bowl. Line side of bowl with 10 slices, overlapping them slightly.

　　

Step 2

Bring berries, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries collapse and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Spoon fruit into a sieve set over a bowl and let drain 15 minutes. Spoon drained fruit into bread-lined bowl (reserve juices) and cover completely with remaining bread, cutting bread to fit.

　　

Step 3

Pour juices evenly over bread, making sure all bread is saturated. Cover pudding directly with a piece of wax paper and place a 7-inch plate, upside down, on top of paper. Put a 1- to 1 1/2-pound weight (such as a large can) on plate and chill at least 8 hours.

　　

Step 4

Remove weight, plate, and wax paper and invert platter over bowl, then invert bowl onto platter. Carefully unmold.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Pudding can be chilled (with weights) up to 3 days.