#145 Summerpudimisu
Ciao! How are we all doing? Well, I hope!!!
My brain has been a bit sticky this week, do you ever get that? Everything feels a little uncomfortable and dysphoric and the same thoughts keeping playing on repeat. Some very not-that-nice, lifey thoughts, and some less menacing but equally quite irritating thoughts - like whether buttermilk or sour cream is best in the strawberries and cream loaf cake I’ve been on a quest to perfect over the past couple of weeks - the amount of time I’ve spent dithering over this is really quite ridiculous!!!
There’s also some residual head-stickiness from the lurgy… that is, all my face tubes feel like they’re full of gunk and need a good vacuum, I’m tired and a bit achey and I’ve lost my ‘joie de vivre’, which, less face it, fails to show up at the best of times. I’ve also experienced a new type of brain fog, a sort of cognitive inertia, whereby brain to mouth and body is all a bit confuddled.
The week has, therefore, lacked much by way of energy…. or news. I’ve fumbled my way through, thanks to fresh air, gentle exercise, some forced rest and a string of undemanding bakes - both in complexity and flavour…
…Obviously there has been more of that Strawbs and cream loaf cake - to try to resolve the aforementioned buttermilk/sour cream conundrum- a peaches and sour cream crumble cake (I think you’ll like this one when I get round to typing it up), and a simple white (buttermilk) sandwich loaf that was possibly my best white loaf to date - is this something you fancy, by the way? If so, let me know!!
The dough was heavenly to knead - soft, and smooth, like Play-Doh, a guaranteed stress buster. And the baked loaf, intoxicatingly fragrant, so pillowy you could rest your head on it, and FULL of ‘bready’ flavour - just like I remember from my childhood. Also, interminably serviceable - buttered, and dunked in soup, jam-sandwiched, anything sandwiched (egg mayo/ham, tomato, mustard mayo, GOOD!), toasted, then buttered (if you’re Nigella, ‘two stage buttering’), and subsequently jammed/marmite-d/PB’d etc, or loaded with beans and/or cheese!!!
Yes, a white loaf, THIS white loaf, is one of my ultimate ‘beige’ comfort foods - my anti-anxiety elixir!!!
… which makes me wonder, what’s your go-to ‘hug food’? I’m intrigued to know! Is it cake or crisps? Sweet or savoury? Soft or crunchy? Hot or cold?
It struck me, actually, whilst watching Race across the World on Wednesday, just how universally soothing food can be in times of need, and how our individual preferences differ. After a tough leg of the trip, Sioned and Fin, ended up seeking out cake to ‘magically’ quell their unease - it was wonderful, a joy to witness!!!
Talking of which… Bake off the Professionals lived up to expectations too - apart from being TV gold, my favourites, Dane and Sally, absolutely SMASHED it - so thrilled to see their talent recognised! Much like ‘normal’ Bake Off, this show is model comfort viewing… admittedly with a side of ‘(when) will that topple over’ anxiety!!!
… AND Clarkson’s farm; what.a.show!!! Did we all know that cows enjoy, and get the most nourishment from grass that is not too long, not too short… Goldilocks length? Mind boggling! I’ve already watched the latest couple of episodes (released on Friday) and I want to rewatch it all already!
In fact, the TV really delivered over the past week, don’t you think?
There have been other notable bits and bobs too:
I’ve rediscovered my fondness for cous cous… so simple and a little bit magical; dry, hard grains that soften and fluff up in a matter of minutes at the sight of a splash of hot water. Mesmeric!
I’m also, as of Monday, hooked on the ‘Love Corn, sea salt crunchy corn snacks’! Warning: it takes an inordinate amount of restraint not to inhale a whole bag in one sitting.
Some weather chat: all a bit random, isn’t it? In fact, it seems to have reflected my mood somewhat this week - unsettled!! - windy and intermittently rainy, but then random bursts of sunshine… so indecisive, so unpredictable, so ‘wtf do I wear?’, and ‘do I need an umbrella or a bikini?’’
In all honesty, there have been few giggly moments, but Dave doing his utmost to carve his way out of a closed patio door with his claws on Wednesday evening, and Olive greeting me on the loo like I’m a long-lost friend at 3am on Thursday morning, each warranted adoring smiles. Animals = therapy.
D&O I’m not entirely happy thinking about blackberry picking because that feels ever-so ‘end of summer’ but I’ve noticed that the brambles on the path near my house are abundant with flowers which means we’re in for a bumper crop this year, so that’s quite exciting, isn’t it?
Talking of crops, Mum is keen for me to inform you that our baby apple tree seems to be ‘thriving’ this year - it looks like we are due the princely sum of 3 apples, likely to drop off and be eaten by something else before they ripen, BUT three WHOLE apples, birthed by us!!!… that feels quite special!!
And finally, this week’s recipe, which I’m so excited to share with you? Something of a dessert ‘Co-Lab’ (where are my Amandaland fans??!). Yes, you can just make Summer pud or Tiramisu, and in both cases, you’ll be delighted. But you can also, as it turns out, mash them together and create a ‘Summerpudimisu’ that’s equally marvellous. Sponge fingers are soaked in boozy cooked, summer berry juices, layered with the softened berries and a moussey, egg-whipped mascarpone, and, (following a lengthy chill), showered with ground pistachios. It’s really quite something. A fresh, light-but-also-indulgent, make-you-smile dessert, and one I hope you like!
And that friends, is about all I have left from week 22 of 2025. All a bit pedestrian, I’m afraid. Forgive me! I aim to bounce back next week.
SO much love and huge hugs as always,
Steph X X X
SummerPudimisu
I don’t consider myself to be particularly imaginative when it comes to conjuring up novel concepts with my bakes. But this week’s recipe feels like one of my more inspired efforts.
I’ve taken two glorious desserts - a quintessentially British, Summer pudding, and the infamous Italian Tiramisu - and mashed them together to create what I’m affectionately coining Summerpudimisu. Wondering if I should copyright that name for when it goes viral, you know?? LOL!
Ok so the concept isn’t groundbreaking, but I promise you the result is really quite special. Individually the steps are straightforward enough, although, as with all good things, you will need a degree of patience and a little planning. Let’s break things down…
First up, we need to macerate our frozen (this is important IMO, I think you get more consistent results with frozen berries, and I think they often taste better) summer berries with sugar and a squeeze of lemon for a couple of hours. Then the mixture is briefly cooked before being sieved to separate the juices from the ‘pulp’. We add some booze to the warm juice and let everything (the softened fruit and juice) chill out completely in the fridge.
Next up, we prepare the moussey filling. A la tiramisu, this is a combo of whisked eggs and mascarpone with a little sugar (note, my recipe follows authentic Italian tradition and uses raw eggs), which creates an ethereally light and floofy custardy ‘cream’ situation - I could honestly bathe in it, it’s so good! And then it’s just a case of assembling everything, ensuring the sponge fingers are thoroughly soaked in the fruit juices, then layered with the softened berries, and whipped mascarpone.
The dessert is left to soak and ‘set’ a little allowing the layers and flavours to marry and meld together harmoniously. The final hurrah is a shower of ground pistachios, for colour, texture and of course flavour!
Even if you don’t use my recipe - please do!!! - make a note to take your own versions of summer pud and tiramisu and squish them together. I think you’ll be very happy with yourself!!
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