Solstice Sweetness: Just 5 ingredients. I make this when I want dessert handled hours ahead so I can enjoy the long summer evening.

This slow cooker summer solstice bronze bake is the kind of dessert I put on right after lunch so I can forget about it until the fireflies come out. It’s just five pantry ingredients, and it finishes with a glistening bronze and ivory mottled crust that cracks open to a soft, molten center. The idea comes from the old Midwestern fruit cobblers and dump cakes we used to bring to church picnics, but here the slow cooker does the work while you sit on the porch and enjoy the long light of a June evening.

Serve this warm right out of the slow cooker, spooned into small bowls so everyone gets some of that bronzed, crackly top and the soft, custardy middle. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream melts into the warm pudding and makes those bronze and ivory swirls even prettier. It’s lovely with iced coffee, sweet tea, or a little glass of cold milk. If you’re feeding a crowd, set the slow cooker on warm and let folks help themselves over the course of the evening.

Servings: 6-8

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

Lightly butter or spray the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. This helps the bronze crust release in pretty pieces and makes cleanup easier.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and melted butter until smooth and glossy.

Add 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and the baking mix to the bowl and stir just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick and pale ivory.

Slowly whisk in the whole milk, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, pourable batter. It should be the consistency of a loose pancake batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared slow cooker. Gently tap the crock on the counter or give it a little shake to level the top.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar evenly over the surface of the batter. Don’t stir it in; it will melt and help create that glistening bronze, mottled top and molten pockets underneath.

Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Do not remove the lid during the first 90 minutes, or you’ll lose the steam that gives the pudding its soft center.

The dessert is done when the edges are set, deeply bronzed, and pulling slightly away from the sides, while the center still jiggles softly and looks ivory and glossy when you peek under the lid.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the pudding stand, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. The top will finish setting into a mottled bronze and ivory crust while the inside stays soft and spoonable.

To serve, use a large spoon to scoop down through the crust and lift out portions, letting the molten middle spill into each bowl. Serve warm, with ice cream or whipped cream if you like.

For a vanilla-scented version, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract into the batter with the sweetened condensed milk and butter. For a gentle caramel note, use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. If you’d like a fruit layer, scatter 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sliced fresh peaches, nectarines, or berries in the bottom of the greased slow cooker before pouring in the batter; do not stir. The fruit will sink into the molten center and give little pockets of juice under the bronze crust. You can also add a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg over the top with the brown sugar for a more old-fashioned flavor. For smaller households, you can halve the recipe and cook it in a 3-quart slow cooker; start checking for doneness 30 minutes earlier. Food safety tips: Keep dairy (milk, butter, sweetened condensed milk) refrigerated until you’re ready to mix the batter, and don’t leave leftovers sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Cool any remaining pudding, transfer it to a covered container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on LOW in the slow cooker until warmed through, and discard if it ever develops an off smell, color, or texture.