posted by Southern 05-04-99 9:05 AM
Seasonal Fruit Pudding
1 lb, 2 oz berries, fresh or frozen (500 g), such as black currants, blueberries, cranberries, or pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
9 oz sweet fruits, pitted and roughly chopped (250 g), such as apricots and nectarines
1 cup water (250 ml)
6 slices whole wheat bread, with crusts cut off
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (15 to 30 mL)
Fruit slice and/or mint sprig
Prepare a 4-1/2-cup pudding mold or soufflé dish (1 liter), as well as a saucer that will neatly fit inside its rim.
Wash fruit and place in saucepan with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer until soft but not mushy (about 5 minutes).
Meanwhile, line mold with bread, trimming it to fit the bottom and sides. (Reserve one or two slices to cover the top.) Cool fruit mixture a little, adding honey to your taste. Pour fruit mixture into prepared mold.
(Reserve 3 tablespoons of juice.) Top with reserved bread. Fit saucer over mold, then place a 1-lb. weight (500 g) on saucer. Chill for at least 5 hours.
To serve, invert pudding onto platter. If the fruit has not colored any patches of bread, use a pastry brush to coat them with reserved juice. Garnish with a fruit slice or mint sprig.
In winter, you can use 1 lb, 2 oz. apples and pears, cored and chopped (500 g) and 9 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries (250 g) instead of the berries and sweet fruits.
SOURCE: Miriam Polunin Healing Foods (NY: DK Publishing, Inc, 1997)