Description

This dairy-free berry pudding can be made year round with either fresh berries in season and frozen berries any time.

Scale

Ingredients

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
10 ounces strawberries or mixed berries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
10 ounces raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
6 tablespoons sugar
1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon rosewater (I used orange blossom water)
Whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Instructions

Make a cornstarch and egg yolk slurry: Put the cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl and whisk out any lumps. Slowly pour in 1 cup (240 mL) water, whisking constantly. Whisk in the egg yolks. (To be really sure, reach into the bowl and gently rub out any lumps between your fingers.)
Blend and warm the berries: Purée the strawberries and raspberries with the sugar and lemon juice in a blender until smooth and liquefied. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a 3-quart (2.8-L) saucepan. Turn the heat on to high and bring the fruit mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently. Turn off the heat.
Temper the slurry: Pour 1 cup (240 mL) of the hot fruit into the bowl with the slurry. Whisk them together. Pour the tempered slurry slowly back into the pan, counting to 10 as you do and whisking vigorously.
Thicken the pudding: Turn the heat back on to the medium. Bring the pudding to a full boil, whisking frequently; this will take 2 to 5 minutes. Large bubbles will rise up very slowly, making a noise like “gloop” or “plop.”
Simmer for 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Turn off the heat and whisk in the rosewater.
Chill the pudding: Immediately pour the hot pudding into a shallow container. (If you notice lumps, you can pour the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve to make it smoother.) Place plastic wrap or buttered wax paper directly on the surface of the pudding to cover it. Put a lid on the dish and refrigerate. Chill for 2 hours, or until completely cold, before eating. Best eaten within 3 days.
Serve in dessert cups with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

Notes

Author’s note: Rosewater is a distillation of rose petals, a highly fragrant by-product of the perfume industry. Look for it in the baking aisle or at gourmet shops. Be sure you are buying food-grade rosewater.

My note: Like rosewater, orange-blossom water, sometimes called orange-flower water, is a floral distillate. Made from the petals of bitter-orange blossoms, it is used in many Middle Eastern dishes, both sweet and savory. It’s usually found in gourmet or specialty shops.