Rhonda’s Summer Pudding

Sumptuous fresh berries combined with stale bread may seem like unlikely partners, but together they make a great-tasting dessert. You can use any combination of fresh berries you like, and a multi-grained coarse bread works well.

Ingredients:
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
1 pint blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp orange juice
1/2 cup Late Harvest Eldorado Gold (our fabulous sweet dessert wine)
Slices of stale bread, 3/4-inch thick (enough to line bottom and sides of 10” bowl)
1/3 cup raspberry jam
Fresh whipped cream, with 1 tsp orange zest
Fresh mint leaves

Method:
Clean fruit. Put berries in medium saucepan, add sugar, orange juice and dessert wine. Cook on medium heat until sugar has dissolved and the fruit is cooked, about 15 minutes. Pour in bowl and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours.

Coat one side of the bread slices with raspberry jam, and line a 10-inch bowl on bottom and sides. Be sure the coated slices have their jam side towards you, on the inside of the bowl.

Pour cooled berry mixture in center of bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and weight the top of bowl. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

When ready to serve, transfer pudding upside down on a serving platter and pipe with fresh whipped cream flavored with orange zest for decoration. Garnish with fresh mint. Serve immediately.

Pair with Eldorado Gold.