On the Newfoundland barrens, wild blueberries ripen in August, and families would head out with buckets and berry pickers, coming home with stained fingers and more berries than they knew what to do with. Some were eaten by the handful, some went into jam, and some became duff — a simple pudding of flour and berries, tied up in a cloth bag and boiled in a big pot until it was dense, dark and steaming. In the old days, when sugar was precious, a duff was the special-occasion dessert.
What makes it great is the way the berries burst through the tender, dumpling-like crumb, turning the whole pudding a deep purple as it cooks. It’s rustic and humble, but served warm with a buttery sugar sauce poured over top, it’s as comforting as dessert gets. It’s a big, shareable pudding meant for a crowd — pass it around with a spoon and let everyone dig in.
