← Nouns Cooking · Dessert Parlour

Ingredients

• 1 kg mixed berries and currants (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, redcurrants)
• 150 g caster sugar
• 3 tbsp Water
• 8 slices day-old medium-sliced white bread, crusts removed
• cream, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Put the berries (halve any large strawberries), sugar and water in a pan. Warm over low heat for 3–5 min, just until the sugar dissolves and the fruit releases plenty of juice. Don't let it turn to jam.
2. Line a 1.2 litre pudding basin with cling film, leaving extra hanging over the sides.
3. Cut a circle of bread for the bottom and cut the rest into wide strips. Dip each piece briefly in the fruit juice and press into the basin, overlapping slightly so there are no gaps.
4. Spoon in the fruit with most of the juice, keeping a little juice back. Cover the top with more dipped bread.
5. Fold the cling film over, set a small plate on top and weigh it down with a couple of cans. Chill overnight.
6. Turn out onto a plate, brush any pale patches with the saved juice, and serve in wedges with cream.

Tips

• Use ordinary sliced white bread, not sourdough or anything enriched, so it soaks up the juice evenly.
• Frozen summer fruit mix works well out of season.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food Once Upon a Chef