No-bake bread pudding is perfect for a sizzling summer

Here’s the second installment of our series on “summer bread pudding.” No heating up the oven or the house. Keep it simple. A friend of mine found this recipe on the Internet, copied it, and gave it to me on a hot, muggy day here.

Use a mixture of your favorite berries to combine with some stale bread slices. Make it up the day before to enjoy the next day. And the next. If there’s any left over.

SUMMER BREAD PUDDING

1/2 loaf sliced white bread with crusts removed
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
4 cups mixed summer berries (raspberries, sliced strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries)
Whipped cream to serve

Line 8x5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough to cover top of contents later.
Combine berries and sugar in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until sugar dissolves and berries become juicy (about 5 minutes). Stir in orange juice.
Cover bottom of loaf pan with thin layer of berries. Top with layer of bread slices, making sure slices fit together tightly. Add another, thicker layer of berries. Top with layer of bread. Continue process until pan is full, ending with layer of bread. This will probably take 3 layers of berries and 3 layers of bread. Pour remaining juice over last layer of bread. Fold excess plastic wrap over top of bread pudding.
Place bread pan on plate or cookie sheet to catch any overflow of berry juice.
To weigh down pudding: Place second bread pan on top of pudding. Place a few soup or other cans inside empty loaf pan. Place in fridge to chill for at least 8 hours, and up to 24.
After pudding is set, unfold plastic wrap and unmold it by turning loaf pan onto platter. Serve sliced with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 6-8.