Super Summer Pudding
A fruit-filled summer showstopper of a pud, this dessert will add the wow factor to the dinner table. Use mixed fresh summer berries such as raspberries, cherries, redcurrants, strawberries and blackcurrants and bread that’s two or three days’ old. Don’t use ready sliced or wholemeal – a white crusty loaf is best. It needs to chill overnight so prepare this one the day before you need it.
Ingredients
- 1.15kg (2½lb) mixed fresh summer berries
- (e.g. raspberries, cherries, redcurrants, strawberries and blackcurrants.)
- 175g (6oz) caster sugar
- 3tblsp raspberry liqueur
- 1 loaf of crusty white bread, 2-3 days old (not ready sliced or wholemeal bread)
Serves 4
Method
- Remove the stalks from the strawberries and cut them in half. Stone the cherries and remove the redcurrants and black currants from their stalks.
- Put the sugar in a large pan with the liqueur if using, and 3tblsp of water
- Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes
- Add the fruit and gently cook for 3-4 minutes
- Cut the bread into 1cm/ ½ inch slices. Remove the crusts and cut a piece of bread into a circle to fit the bottom of the basin. (You may find this easier with scissors.)
- With a slotted spoon to drain off some of the juice, put 3 spoonfuls of fruit on the first layer of bread
- Cut another layer of bread to fit the bowl. Press it down on top of the fruit. Repeat the layering until the bowl is full, ending with a bread layer
- Press down and cover with clingfilm and place a saucer on top, then place a can, eg. tomatoes, on top to weigh the pudding down. Any left over juice can be strained and then served separately with the pudding
- Chill over night Remove the clingfilm, gently run a knife around the edge of the bowl
- Place a serving plate face down on top of the bowl and turn everything up side down to invert the pudding on to the plate. Remove the bowl