Gingered Brioche Summer Pudding with Sour Cream Mascarpone

Preparation

1. Step 1

   In a large saucepan bring sugar, water, and gingerroot to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in fruit and simmer gently, covered, carefully stirring occasionally, until blueberries just begin to burst, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Transfer fruit mixture to a shallow baking dish to cool as quickly as possible. Transfer 1 1/2 cups cooled fruit mixture to a bowl and reserve, covered and chilled.

   Step 2

   Preheat oven to 400°F.

   Step 3

   On a baking sheet arrange bread slices in one layer and toast in middle of oven, turning them if necessary, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer bread to a rack to cool.

   Step 4

   In an 8-inch square glass baking dish set inside a larger shallow baking dish arrange half of bread slices, overlapping slightly if necessary and trimming to fit, and top with half of unchilled fruit mixture. Layer remaining bread slices and unchilled fruit mixture in same manner. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Put another 8-inch square glass or metal baking dish on top of plastic wrap and weight pudding evenly with about 6 pounds of weight (such as cans of food). (Chill pudding at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.)

   Step 5

   Just before serving, remove weights, baking dish, and plastic wrap from pudding, reserving juice that has spilled over into larger baking dish, and cut pudding into 6 portions. Transfer 4 portions with a spatula to plates and spoon reserved juices and chilled fruit mixture around them.

   Step 6

   Serve pudding with sour cream mascarpone.