Annie Spratt, the star behind creative living blog, Mammasarus, has teamed up with us this month to bring you two deliciously indulgent summer pudding recipes. Both are bold in flavour, British in nature and the perfect alfresco dining accompaniment. Annie is a firm believer that families should get outdoors together and there’s no better reason to than to enjoy a tasty, sun-drenched serving of cherry and brownie Eton Mess or zesty lemon shortbread.

Summer pudding recipe inspiration

Summer is here and there’s no better time of year to try a new pudding recipe, so today I have two very different ones to share with you. Both simple but delicious, packing heaps of seasonal flavour. Both perfect for alfresco dining in the sunshine.

Cherry & Brownie Eton Mess

Think classic British Eton Mess with the big bold flavours of a Black Forest Gateaux. The brownie adds a different texture to this Eton Mess and with cherries in season at the moment there is no better time to try it. Perfect for impressing people on sunny summer days or for comfort food on those typically British rainy days!

Serves 4

Ingredients

400g cherries, stoned and quartered
1 tbsp caster sugar
4 broken up ready-made meringue nests
10 Chocolate Brownies, shop bought or homemade, cut into large chunks
400ml double cream, whipped

You will also need
Large mixing bowl
Electric or hand whisk

Method
In a large bowl, whip the double cream with the sugar until it is thick and soft.
Stir the broken meringues and the brownie chunks into the cream.
Pop 4 cherries by to garnish, then add the rest of the cherries into a bowl and squish them with a fork so that some of their juices are released.
Add the squashed cherries into the mix.
Divide into four bowl or glasses and garnish with the remaining cherries

Zesty Lemon Shortbread

A simple lemon shortbread recipe that children can help make too. These zesty biscuits are very moreish and won’t last long once they come out of the oven (the smell when you open the oven door is amazing!) Perfect with an afternoon cup of Earl Grey.

Ingredients
175g softened butter
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
100g caster sugar
225g plain flour
25g caster sugar, put by separately

You will also need
Large mixing bowl
Two baking trays

Method 
Pre-heat your oven to 160c, gas mark 3.
In the mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and the grated .
Beat the caster sugar into the butter and lemon.
Add flour and mix with your hands until smooth.
Sprinkle the 25g caster sugar onto a worktop.
Divide the mixture into two and roll out two ‘sausage shapes’ on the caster sugar.
Take a sharp knife a slice each ‘sausage’ into 10-12 pieces.
Put the slices on the baking trays, leaving a bit of room between them to allow for them spreading.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and transfer the biscuits onto a wire cooling rack.

Enjoy!