Looking for the perfect dessert to showcase ripe berries this season? Meet your new favorite: Summer Berry Pudding—a next-level twist on traditional banana pudding that ditches the bananas and doubles down on fresh berries.

This new favorite combines rich vanilla pudding, fresh berries, and vanilla wafers for a summer berry pudding that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. It uses simple ingredients and is ideal for those who love no bake desserts and want something fresh, seasonal, and easy to make in advance.

Ingredients needed for Summer Berry Pudding:

• Fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries and blackberries all work great
• Berry jam or preserves
• Vanilla wafer cookies or something similar (graham crackers or shortbread cookies would work in a pinch)
• Heavy Cream
• Eggs- room temperature
• Sugar
• Cornstarch
• Vanilla bean paste, extract, or a vanilla bean pod scraped out
• Butter
• Milk

Supplies needed:

• Medium saucepan for pudding
• Mixing Bowl
• Large bowl or 8×8 baking dish for assembling the pudding

The Process:

You’ll start by making the pudding. In a large saucepan over medium low you’ll whisk together egg yolks, a cup sugar, cornstarch, whole milk, and salt to create a velvety pudding. Once thick, you stir in butter and vanilla extract (or even a touch of almond extract for a twist). Let the mixture cool in a large bowl with plastic wrap or cling film pressed directly on the surface to prevent skin from forming.

While that chills, beat heavy cream or heavy whipping cream in a medium bowl or with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Next, combine your berries with a bit of lemon juice and jam in a small bowl. (You can use any combo of berries: blackberries, raspberries blueberries, or strawberries.)

To assemble, layer the bottom of the dish with pudding, wafers, and berries. Repeat until you reach the top of the bowl. Chill the whole thing in an airtight container and cover the top of the pudding with cling film for at least 6 hours. 

Store leftover berry pudding in the fridge covered snugly for up to 4 days. 

HOT TIP:

Use a slotted spoon to avoid adding too much juice from the berries to the pudding which can make it a little watery.