Email Link
Language / Idioma
EnglishEspañol
Español: traducción automática de Google.
Include
Servings / yield
Measurements
Text size

Quick Berry Bread Pudding

Buttered bread soaks up juicy, lightly mashed berries in this cool, no-fuss pudding. Chill it until soft and spoonable, then add a little cream for a simple summer dessert.

A square of chilled mixed-berry bread pudding topped with whipped cream and lemon zest on a vintage patterned plate.
Recipe link
Prep time15 min
Cook time0 min
Total time1 hr 15 min
Course
Desserts
Cuisine
Granny's Recipes
Difficulty
Easy
Est. calories / serving
150

Ingredients

  • 6 slice soft white sandwich bread — crusts removed
  • 4 tablespoons butter — softened
  • 3 cups fresh mixed berries — rinsed, dried, and cut as needed; strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a combination
  • ¼–½ cup granulated sugar (optional) — to taste
  • 2–3 tablespoons berry juice or water — only if needed

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Bread: Set a shallow 2-quart serving dish on the counter; no heat is needed for this recipe. Remove the crusts from the bread. Spread the softened butter evenly over one side of each slice, then arrange the slices buttered side up in a single layer in the dish, trimming or slightly overlapping them as needed. This should take about 5 minutes, and the bottom of the dish should be completely covered.6 slices soft white sandwich bread, 4 tablespoons butter
  2. Prepare the Berries: Place the prepared berries in a medium mixing bowl with ¼ cup of the sugar. Lightly mash and stir for 1–2 minutes, leaving plenty of fruit pieces intact, then let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Taste and add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, only if the berries are tart, using no more than ½ cup total. If the mixture is not loose and juicy enough to spoon over all the bread, stir in 2 tablespoons of berry juice or water, adding the final tablespoon only if needed. The mixture is ready when juice visibly pools around the fruit and most of the sugar has dissolved.3 cups fresh mixed berries, ¼–½ cup granulated sugar, 2–3 tablespoons berry juice or water if needed
  3. Assemble the Pudding: Spoon the berry mixture and all its juices evenly over the buttered bread. Use the back of the spoon or a spatula to spread the fruit to the edges and press it gently against the bread for about 2 minutes. Every slice should be coated with fruit and visibly moistened, including the corners.buttered bread, berry mixture
  4. Rest: Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or a fitted lid. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours, until the bread is evenly berry-colored, tender through the center, and shows no dry white patches.
  5. Serve: Divide the pudding into 6 portions and lift each piece from the dish with a spatula. Serve directly from the refrigerator, or let the portions stand for about 10 minutes for a slightly cool rather than refrigerator-cold texture. Top with cream, whipped cream, or lemon zest if desired.

Notes

  • Bread: Soft white sandwich bread absorbs the berry juices well while still holding a tender shape. Spread the butter evenly rather than leaving thick patches so the fruit can reach the bread across the full surface.
  • Berries: Ripe fresh berries need less sugar and create the brightest flavor. Begin with ¼ cup sugar and add more only when the fruit is tart. Use the optional berry juice or water only when the mashed berries do not release enough liquid of their own.
  • Texture: Lightly mash the berries so the dessert keeps whole and broken fruit pieces instead of becoming smooth. The pudding is fully soaked when the bread is tender through the center and no dry white areas remain.
  • Serving: Cover and refrigerate the assembled pudding for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. It is best the day it is made, but leftovers may be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Serve chilled or slightly cool; do not reheat.

Serving Suggestions

Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)

Yield

6 pieces — Serving size: 1 piece

Some ingredients could not be modeled and may meaningfully change the totals. Treat these values as a rough estimate.

Calories
150
Carbohydrates
15 g
Protein
2.5 g
Fat
8.5 g
Saturated Fat
5 g
Cholesterol
20 mg
Sodium
150 mg
Fiber
0.8 g
Total Sugars
1.5 g

Equipment

  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Shallow serving dish (2-quart capacity; shallow enough to hold the bread in one layer)
  • Spoon or spatula
  • Butter knife
  • Paring knife
  • Cutting board
  • Plastic wrap or fitted lid