Summer pudding

Serves - 6 to 8

You’ll need

• 150g strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered if large
• 150g raspberries
• 150g blackberries
• 150g redcurrants or blackcurrants
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 8–10 slices good white bread, crusts removed

To serve, optional
• Double cream
• Crème fraîche

Method

1. Get the fruit going

Put the strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and currants into a large saucepan with the caster sugar and lemon juice. Set it over a low to medium heat and cook gently for 3–5 minutes, just until the fruit starts to soften and release its juices. You are not after jam here. The fruit should still have some shape and a bit of dignity left.

2. Strain off the juices

Set a sieve over a bowl and carefully tip the fruit mixture in. Let the juices drain through, then keep both the fruit and the juice. This bit matters – the juice is what gives the bread that deep summer-pudding colour rather than leaving it pale and slightly miserable.

3. Line the bowl

Take a 1 to 1.2 litre pudding basin and line it with cling film if you want an easier life later. Cut 1 piece of bread into a round to fit the base of the bowl. Dip it quickly into the berry juice and place it in the bottom. Then cut the remaining bread into shapes to line the sides, dipping each piece into the juice before fitting it in. Overlap them slightly so there are no gaps for the filling to escape through.

4. Fill the pudding

Spoon the strained fruit into the bread-lined bowl, pressing it down gently as you go. Do not squash it into oblivion, but do make sure it is nicely packed. Dip more bread into the juice and use it to cover the top completely.

5. Weigh it down

Pour over a few extra spoonfuls of juice, then cover the top with cling film or a plate that fits neatly inside the basin. Put a small weight on top – a tin or two usually does the job nicely – then chill in the fridge overnight. This is where it all presses together and becomes what it is meant to be, rather than just bread and berries in a bowl.

6. Turn out and serve

When ready to serve, remove the weight and unwrap the top. Turn the pudding out onto a plate and lift off the basin. If there are any pale patches, dab them with a little of the reserved juice and nobody need know. Serve in slices with cream or crème fraîche alongside.

A couple of helpful notes

- Slightly stale white bread is ideal here, as it holds together better once soaked with juice.
- A mix of berries gives the best flavour and colour, but do keep raspberries in there if you can – they bring a lot to the party.
- Save any leftover juice for spooning around the plate at the end. It makes the whole thing look even more convincing.