1 cup sugar (maybe a little more if fruit is not super ripe)
1 large white sandwich loaf (about 12 cups), crust removed - i recommend a fresh loaf from a bakery as the pre-sliced stuff gets a little spongy
to serve (optional):
whipped cream
vanilla ice cream
Instructions
Put berries, water and sugar into a pot, stir and let sit just a minute while you prep the bread.
Cut bread into large cubes, 1-2 inches roughly, and place in a large bowl.
Line a 9x3in ramekin or cake pan with parchment - you will need another pan slightly smaller to set on top as a weight so keep this in mind when picking your pan, you can also do this in a casserole dish or larger cake pan - since we are not cooking it, the only difference will be in whether you get slices like a cake or scoops like a bread pudding...tasty either way!
Bring fruit to a boil, reduce to a simmer for a few minutes, until the berries just start to break down (five minutes max). Turn off the heat and stir in the raspberries if using.
Pour the hot fruit mixture over the bread and toss until completely saturated. Let sit a few minutes and toss once more. Put in your prepared mold, cover with plastic wrap and place a plate or smaller cake pan on top so it can press the pudding into the mold. Put something heavy on top of the plate and refrigerate at least 12 hours. This can be made 2-3 days in advance and it will actually improve with the extra time to soak.
To serve: you can either turn the pudding out onto a cake plate and cut into slices or simply scoop servings out. Serve at room temperature and top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Notes
Raspberries are great in this but keep them separate to add after the other berries have cooked.
Recipe by Eat Some Wear Some at https://eatsomewearsome.com/summer-pudding/