Summer pudding

Ingredients

• 4-5 medium to thick slices of white bread, crusts removed
• 500g summer berries ideally including darker berries such as blackcurrants and blackberries along with redcurrants, strawberries and raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 100g caster sugar

Equipment

• A small pudding basin
• A small saucer

Method

Wash and de-stalk the fruit, then bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 3-5 minutes until the berries are softened and have released their juices.

Take off the heat and stir in the sugar a bit at a time until you have the sweetness you like.

Strain the fruit through a sieve or colander, catching the juices in a bowl and set both fruit and juices aside.

Cut out a circle of bread to fit the bottom of your pudding basin and another to fit the top. Soak the small circle in the fruit juice until it is all coated and place at the bottom of the bowl.

Cut the rest of the bread diagonally. Soak and arrange slices around the pudding basin. Fill in any gaps with small off cuts of bread.

When the fruit mixture is still warm spoon into the bread lined basin. Fill until you have reached level with the top of the bread and press down slightly.

Top up with a little of the reserved juice if there is space or it looks dry. Carefully arrange the large circle of bread over the top of the fruit, cutting smaller pieces and arranging like a jigsaw until all the fruit is covered. Add a little more juice if there is space without it overflowing.

Place a small saucer on top (one that fits inside the rim of the bowl) and weigh it down with something heavy enough to press firmly on the pudding (a 1-2lb scale weight should do it or whatever you have to hand).

Place in a cold larder or fridge and leave overnight. If possible check after a few hours and see if you need to add more juice. You don’t want any white bread.

When the bread has soaked up all the juice and is a glorious dark colour you are ready to turn it out.

Remove the saucer, run a palette knife (or whatever you have to hand) around the edge of the bowl to loosen. Place a plate over the top, invert and, with a bit of a shake and some luck the pud will slip out. If not you may need to hold bowl and plate together, invert them and give a bit more of a shake.

Serve with a jug of the leftover juices, fresh cream, crème fraiche or natural yoghurt and an extra sprinkling of caster sugar.

Find out what else you can do with leftover bread