Dish of the month
Summer Pudding
Ingredients
Serves 8
1kg mixed berries (use a combination of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, redcurrants or blackcurrants)
160g caster sugar
10 thin slices of white bread, crusts removed
Method
1 Place the berries, sugar and 60ml of water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer on a low heat and cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar, for 3-4 minutes, or until the fruit has softened and produced lots of juice. Set aside to cool.
2 Pour the juice into a flat dish, reserving the fruit.
3 Cut one slice of bread into a circle small enough to fit the base of a 1.5l pudding basin, and another large enough to fit the top. Cut the remaining slices into triangles. Dip both sides of the smaller circle of bread quickly into the juice and place it in the bottom of the pudding basin. Dip both sides of each triangle of bread into the juice, then line the inside of the basin with the juice-soaked bread, overlapping them slightly to make sure there are no gaps.
4 Fill the bread-lined basin with berries, drizzle with any remaining juice and top with the larger circle of bread, trimming it to fit if necessary.
5 Cover the top of the pudding with clingfilm, then place a saucer or small plate that just fits inside the rim of the basin on top. Press the plate in, then weigh it down with a heavy can or two. Place the basin in a shallow dish to catch any juice that might overflow, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
6 To serve, run a thin knife around the inside of the basin and invert the pudding onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve accompanied with plenty of Devon clotted cream and enjoy.
