Time and again summer calls us – to the water or the woods – to find rest, recreation, and wellness. Whether seaside vacation, weekend on the river, or a mindful forest hike, a seasonal restoration of our connection with the natural world seems essential, and it’s a thirst the weekly lawn-mowing or even daily garden maintenance alone cannot quench.
Long before the term “forest bathing” became widely understood, people have been letting the beauty of nature wash over them in an attempt to find improved health and wellness. Back before modernization disconnected us from nature in the first place, it was often the water element that people sought most in healing practices. Ancient cultures from Rome to Japan valued bathing rituals, which played important roles in their societies. In Victorian England, resort towns flourished as they catered to those seeking natural cures for whatever ailed them. Visiting towns built around mineral springs in order to drink and bathe in geothermal waters became a seasonal prioritization of health, where patrons took time to simply stroll the grounds and lounge around. The practice was also socially significant for those who could afford to spend the season in such a way, and “taking the waters” emerged as the original summer getaway, equally concerned with health, wellness, and being seen.
While undergoing this hydrotherapy, wellness seekers were instructed to lighten up their diets, as well. A tasty slice of that Victorian spa menu reveals the origins of a quintessentially British and much beloved dessert: summer pudding.
Originally known as hydropathic pudding on account of its integration in the menus of health resorts, it’s a perfect no-bake cake-like sweet that makes excellent use of summer’s bountiful berries. The fruit is lightly cooked and sweetened, then encased in stale bread, making the recipe an exercise in thrift, as well. The berry juices flow and are soaked into the bread to create a soft, spongy, and sliceable dessert that, when unmolded and garnished, is as beautiful as it is delicious.
One caveat: you can’t be in any rush with this dessert. Making summer pudding should be a relaxed process, taking time to macerate the fruit, and waiting until the next day to see how it all comes together. Just like “taking the waters,” or taking a summer vacation, mindfulness matters. Even if a summer pudding is your only slice of leisure this season, enjoy the process – and the fruits of your labors – leisurely.
Summer Pudding
2/3–1 cup golden sugar, to taste
6–7 cups (a scant 2 pounds) of mixed fresh berries: raspberries, blackcaps, blackberries, blueberries, red or black currants, cherries (halved and pitted), huckleberries, etc.
2 tablespoons crème de cassis, black currant cordial, or strawberry jam (all optional)
1 pound stale white sandwich bread, sliced and crusts removed
Assorted fresh berries, mint leaves, or edible flowers for garnish
Clotted cream, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream for serving
Wash the fruit and place most of it in a large saucepan, reserving some for garnish. Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit, add the crème de cassis or other flavoring if desired and toss gently to coat. If you have the time, cover and let the berries macerate in the refrigerator for several hours until they’ve begun to release some of their juices. (If you don’t have time to wait, add a tablespoon or two of water to the pan before heating to prevent burning.)
Heat the berries to a gentle boil and allow them to simmer for a couple of minutes until they’re very juicy but not completely broken down. Taste the juice and, if necessary, gently stir in additional sugar.
Have ready a bowl or pudding basin with a minimum 6-cup capacity. (If you’re nervous about unmolding the pudding, you can line the bowl with plastic wrap.) Cut a circle out of a slice of bread, dip one side into the juices, and fit it into the bottom of the bowl, juice-coated side down. Cut the other bread slices into strips and long triangles, dipping each into the juice and fitting them (juice-side out) lengthwise around the sides of the mold. Cut pieces of bread to fill in any gaps without overlapping, being sure to reserve enough bread for the base.
Spoon the fruit and remaining juice mixture into the bread-lined bowl and cover it all over with more bread, patching in pieces as necessary. Place a small plate or saucer (one that just fits inside the mold) on top of the pudding and weigh it down with a large (28-ounce) can or similar weight. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, or overnight if possible.
To serve, remove the weight and saucer, and run a knife around the edges to loosen the pudding. Place a large plate over the bowl and carefully flip the bowl over, giving a confident shake or two to release the pudding from the mold.
Garnish lavishly with fresh berries, mint, and/or edible flowers. Serve in thick slices with your preferred form of cream on the side.
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