'OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING' ~ SUMMER BREAD PUDDING with WARM BERRY SAUCE

"The morn is up again,

the dewy morn,

With breath all incense,

and with cheek all bloom,

Laughing the clouds away with playful scorn,

And living as if earth contained no tomb,--

And glowing into day."

~ Lord Byron

~ Morning sky and August flowers

(Turtlehead, Rose of Sharon, Japanese astilbe, Ivy Geranium)

~ Coneflower and sky

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SUMMER BREAD PUDDING with WARM BERRY SAUCE

~ Delightful treat laden with plump berries, perfect for a summer day (from Pamela Morgan's Flavors)

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soft butter for baking dish

3 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups half & half

1 cup whipping dream

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. minced orange zest

1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

8 cups (1-inch cubes) crustless day-old brad

1 12 cups quartered hulled fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cups blackberries

Confectioners' sugar

WARM BERRY SAUCE

• Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 325-degrees. Lightly butter a 2 1/2 quart ovenproof serving dish abut 4 inches deep.
• Whisk eggs in large bowl. Whisk in sugar then half & half and cream. Whisk in orange juice, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Scatter half the bread cubes over bottom of prepared dish. Scatter half the strawberries and half the blackberries over the bread cubes. Scatter remaining bread cubes over berries. Scatter remaining berries over bread cubes. Pour egg mixture over the bread cubes and berries. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto surface of pudding. Weight is with 2-3 small ramekins or saucers so bread is completely immersed in egg mixture. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Remove weights and plastic wrap. Set pudding in oven and bake until top is lightly browned and custard is set but not firm when dish is jiggles, 50-60 minutes. Let pudding rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Sift confectioners' sugar onto pudding and serve hot or warm, accompanied by the berry sauce. (6-8 servings)

WARM BERRY SAUCE

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blackberries

1 cup fresh strawberries

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

(May use frozen berries)

• Combine berries in small nonreactive saucepan with sugar and lemon juice. (If using frozen berries, let stand until thawed).
• Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring 2-3 minutes or until juicy. (Can be prepared several hours ahead. Rewarm gently over low heat before serving)

~ Coneflower in clouds

~ Rose of Sharon in clouds