almost summer

Yes it's not quite summer, but it is approaching quickly. I also know there are many places where it already feels like summer. I am personally not a huge fan of the summer time, i hate the heat, and the sun. I do however enjoy summertime food. So while i was meandering through the library the other day i came across Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook. Now i love Ina Garten, she's one of my favorites, so i picked it up and began thumbing through it. Thats when i came across a very familiar recipe that i had long forgotten about. It was for her Summer Pudding with Rum Whipped Cream. I had made this a few years ago and loved it, but somehow i had forgotten it.

This is the perfect summer time dessert, its light and refreshing, the perfect balance of sweet and tart. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone, It's so simple but definitely a crowd pleaser. It also needs to be made the day before which i always like.

Summer Pudding

1 pint fresh strawberries; hulled, and sliced

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 half pints fresh raspberries; divided

2 half pints fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons framboise (raspberry liqueur) or rum

1 loaf brioche or egg bread

Combine the strawberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a large saucepan and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 5 min.

Add 2 cups of the raspberries, and all of the blueberries and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches a simmer.

Simmer the mix for about 1 min.

Off the heat, and stir in the remaining raspberries and the liqueur.

Slice the bead in 1/2 inch thick slices and remove the crusts.

In the bottom of a 7 1/2 inch round by 3 inch high souffle or baking dish, ladle about 1/2 cup of the berry mixture. Arrange the slices of bread in a pattern (This will end up being the top when it's unmolded) then add more berry mixture to saturate.

Continue adding bread cutting the pieces so that they fit snugly together in the mold. And continue putting more berry mixture on each layer. Continue doing this until you have used all of the berry mixture.

Place a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the pudding. Find a plate that is almost the same size of the mold, but must be able to fit inside of it. Place the plate on the plastic wrap, and use a heavy can to weight it down. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours, then remove the weight and refrigerate overnight.

Just before serving, run a knife around the edge, the place the serving plate on top of the mold, and quickly flip. The pudding should come right out.

Serve in wedges with rum whipped cream (serves 8 people)

Rum Whipped Cream

1 cup (1/2 pint) Cold Heavy Cream

3 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp dark rum

Whip the cream in mixer fitted with the whisk attachment

Once it begins to thicken add the sugar, vanilla, and rum

Whip until medium-firm peak, serve cold

*Cream that isn't ultra-pasteurized will whip better

*Can be made up to 1 hour before serving, store in fridge

If you have little ones but you still want to make this you can always leave out the alcohol it both recipes. It will be just as delicious

So if your having friends over this summer, or are like me and just have a huge sweet tooth, then this is the perfect summer time treat for you and the whole family.