Blackberry Pudding

Not a pudding in the creamy, custard sense. This is a British-style baked pudding where a simple batter goes into the dish first, blackberries get scattered on top, and the magic happens in the oven. As it bakes, the batter rises up and around the fruit, creating a cakey shell with pockets of jammy berries throughout.

The batter is bare-bones on purpose: just a teaspoon of butter creamed with sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and milk. It’s thin and pourable, which is exactly right. A thick batter won’t rise around the berries properly.

That final sprinkle of sugar in the last 5-10 minutes is what gives the top a crackly, crystallized crust. The sugar melts in the heat, then firms up as it cools into a thin, sweet shell that shatters when you dig in with a spoon.

Chef Tips

• Don’t stir the berries into the batter. Scatter them on top and let gravity and the rising batter do the work.
• Use generous blackberries. The recipe says “to taste” so don’t be shy. Two cups is a good starting point.
• Check at 40 minutes. The pudding is done when the batter is golden and set, and the berries are bubbling.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a pour of heavy cream.

Variations

• Cherry version: The recipe notes cherries work too. Pitted sour cherries add a tart punch that plays well against the sweet batter.
• Spiced: Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the batter for autumn warmth.