Instead of lining a basin with bread the style here is to just layer bread between the fruits. Also by making sugar syrup first the pudding will have a rich sweet taste to the fruit without having to cook them to death!
Around 650 g of summer berries.Locally available I use a mixture of red and darker berries made up of about 250g of ripe strawberries (washed, hulled and sliced)125g fresh Raspberries125g fresh Boysenberries or Tropical Raspberries175g fresh Blueberries
A sugar syrup made up of 100g of caster sugar with 3 tablespoons of water+ 3 tablespoons of a fruity flavoured liquor (or replace with quality full strength fruit juice or water.Around five slices of bread cut into graduated rounds to fit in your 1 litre pudding basin.Older bread is preferable to fresh. White Sour Dough works really well
Place sugar and liquids in a small saucepan over a moderate heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Leave to bubble gently for about 5 minutes, until the sauce becomes thicker and more like a syrup. You DO NOT want it to caramelize or change colour.
Tip in the Blueberries ( I often prick them to release the juices from their thickish skins) and stir well through the syrup for about one minute. The syrup will become more liquid with the added juice from the blueberries
Take off the heat and then stir through the sliced strawberries. Allow the mixture to stand and cool before finally stirring through the soft berries.Layer alternately the fruit and bread rounds into your pudding basin, starting with just a small spoonful of syrup and fruit and finishing with the largest bread round topped with syrup (you may have too much syrup) save this for use as an accompanying sauce). Place cling film over top and then place a saucer or small plate on top of the pudding (within the rim of the basin) Weight with an 800g tin of something if available or something similar and weighty. Press down evenly (you may get juice overspill).
Fridge overnight.Decant by gently running a table knife round the pudding, serving plate on top and then up turn in one quick motion. Serving Plate is best with a rim as juices will spread.
Serve with Thick, Thick cream or Ice-cream
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