Colorful Summer Fruit Charlotte

A Charlotte is a cooking term which means “a mold lined with cake or crumbs and filled with fruit or whipped cream or custard.” My vegan version of a charlotte uses grain sweetened whole wheat bread slathered in vanilla pudding, and baked to a crisp over a bed of colorful summer fruit. This dish is not only delicious, but it is almost too beautiful to cut into. A stunning addition to any Mother’s Day or Bridal Shower Brunch!

For the Fruit Base

2 cans (15 ounces each), sliced peaches in natural juices, drained

1 pound frozen mixed berries

1 can (15 ounces) pineapple tidbits in their own juice, drained

¼ cup milled cane sugar

1/8 cup quick-cooking tapioca

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Topping

1 envelope (4 ounces) Mori-Nu Mates vanilla low-fat pudding mix

1 cup Silk vanilla soy milk

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon vanilla

16 slices honey whole-wheat bread

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine base ingredients; mix well. Reserve 1 cup of the fruit mixture. Pour remaining fruit mixture into an 11-inch quiche baker.

2. In a 1-quart mixing bowl, whisk together pudding mix, soy milk, cinnamon and vanilla.

3. Cut crusts off bread with a serrated bread knife. Using a pastry brush, generously coat both sides of each bread slice with pudding mixture. Arrange in an overlapping circular pattern on top of fruit, leaving center open.

4. Spoon reserved fruit mixture into opening.

5. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees F and bake an additional 15 minutes. Edges will brown and fruit will bubble.

Serves 8