Strawberry Shortcake Pudding {Inspired by ABC’s The Chew}

Have you guys been watching ABC’s The Chew this summer??

I am completely in love with it. It’s light and funny and just super enjoyable over all. The cast is fabulous– so many super star cooks all in one place making jokes, cooking up yummy recipes, and having a great time!

It’s relaxing. Like… having dessert with a bunch of friends.

…who are all super famous foodies. And you don’t actually know them… (details, details).

There’s this one episode in which Carla (the hostess of the show) makes this mind-blowing Summer Berry Pudding. Mind-blowing, because I’ve absolutely never seen anything like this: it’s essentially bread pudding, but with no baking! And no binding ingredients at all.

You simply boil the fruits into a syrup, pour it over bread, and let it all soak in together overnight. The idea is that the pectin released from the fruit will basically hold it all together into a molded shape (using a bowl, then inverting the pudding).

Here’s part of the episode if you want a peek!

Honestly, the idea of soaking bread overnight into a pudding sort of freaked me out at first. But the wheels began to turn, and I started thinking about Strawberry Shortcake, and how much I love the taste and texture of the strawberries soaking into sponge cake (with whipped cream of course!).

So I thought I’d give the same concept a try with slightly different ingredients. Instead of using bread, I used store bough sponge cakes (you know, the little round ones they sell by the cases of strawberries). Instead of mixed berries, I only used strawberries. And then I covered the entire pudding in Cool Whip, topped with pecans.

And I have to say: I was pleasantly surprised with the beautiful presentation it made, how clean it cut, and how easy it was to throw together! Oh, and did I mention delicious, light, fluffy, and perfect for summer time?? Easy + delicious = golden recipe.

I’m thinking you could even use canned strawberry pie filling instead of this homemade version if you were really wanting to avoid any extra dishes at all! But I have to say– homemade strawberry sauce is almost always the way to go in my book!

Anyway. The point of all this is: I am so impressed with this recipe presented on the show as well as with the overall entertainment quality! All summer long, The Chew is your one-stop foodie show that you cannot miss!

Inspired by: Carla’s Summer Berry Pudding

Seriously. You are going to become an addict. In fact– let’s go ahead and get this show on the road. Here’s a full episode that I think you are going to love!

I’m always looking for new ways to spice up my Summer dishes, and ABC’s The Chew serves up everything from grilling and outdoor entertaining to road trips and picnics. Watch weekdays 1e|12p|c on ABC to see what celebrity chefs Mario Batali, Michael Symon, and Carla Hall, lifestyle expert Clinton Kelly and fresh face of healthy living Daphne Oz are dishing out to inspire you this Summer.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ABC’s The Chew. The opinions and text are all mine.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ABC’s The Chew. The opinions and text are all mine.