graham wrote:
>
> "Arri London" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > graham wrote:
> >>
> >> "Dora" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> >
> >> > This is very good. It is best to use a bread with good texture - no
> >> > Wonder bread here!
> >> >
> >> > Dora
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > * Exported from MasterCook *
> >> >
> >> > Summer Pudding/Autumn Pudding
> >> >
> >> > 1 1/2 pounds prepared fruit (see directions)
> >> > 5 tablespoons water
> >> > 6 or 8 slices bread -- crusts removed
> >> > 4 ounces sugar
> >> > fresh fruit and mint sprigs, to decorate
> >> >
> >> > The fruit for Summer Pudding is typically a mixture of raspberries,
> >> > strawberries, stoned cherries, redcurrants, blackcurrants,
> >> > gooseberries,
> >> > rhubarb, blueberries.
> >> >
> >> > For Autumn Pudding, use a mixture of fruits such as apples,
> >> > blackberries,
> >> > plums and pears.
> >> >
> >> > Gently stew the fruit in the water and sugar until soft but still
> >> > retaining their shape.
> >> >
> >> > Meanwhile, cut a round from one slice of bread to neatly fit in the
> >> > bottom
> >> > of a 2-pint pudding basin (I use a round bowl) and cut 4-6 of the
> >> > remaining slices into neat fingers. Arrange the fingers around the
> >> > sides,
> >> > overlapping them so there are no spaces.
> >> >
> >> > When the fruit is cooked and still hot, pour it gently into the basin,
> >> > being careful not to disturb the bread pieces. Reserve about 3
> >> > tablespoons of the juice. When the basin is full, cut the remaining
> >> > bread
> >> > and use to cover the fruit, to form a lid. Cover with foil, then a
> >> > plate
> >> > or saucer which fits just inside the bowl and put a weight on top.
> >> > Leave
> >> > the pudding until cold, then put into the refrigerator and chill
> >> > overnight.
> >> >
> >> > To serve, carefully run a knife round the edge to loosen, then invert
> >> > the
> >> > pudding on to a serving dish. Pour the reserved juice over the top.
> >> > Serve cold with cream. Decorate with fruit and mint sprigs.
> >> >
> >> > Description:
> >> > "Dessert"
> >> > Source:
> >> > "Helen's Internet Book of British Cooking"
> >> >
> >> > NOTES : Make this a day ahead, so that it has time to steep in its own
> >> > juices.
> >>
> >> The success of Summer Pudding (not Autumn Pudding) depends on the brevity
> >> of
> >> the cooking. It should be minimal, just enough to get the juices flowing
> >> from the soft fruit without many of them breaking down. Overcooking
> >> results
> >> in a jammy flavour. I have found that frozen fruit on thawing yields a
> >> lot
> >> of juice so I use a mix of fresh and frozen raspberries, redcurrants and
> >> blackcurrants and dissolve the sugar in the juice placing the uncooked
> >> fruit
> >> directly into the bread-lined basin. The resulting flavour is intense.
> >> Graham
> >
> > Have never made Summer Pudding with *cooked* fruit at all. Always raw
> > (sliced or crushed slightly), incubated with a bit of sugar to draw out
> > the juices.
> >
> Using the juice from the frozen fruit amounts to the same thing.
> I think the only reason in the standard recipe to cook the fruit briefly is
> to dissolve the sugar in the juice as it runs from the fruit. "Cook" is
> rather a strong word. "warm" would perhaps be more apposite.
> Graham

That's probably it. Mrs Beeton's book doesn't even contain anything by
that name. Fair enough; people didn't always eat raw fruit back then.