Summer Pudding

Remove the stalks from the blackcurrants and redcurrants. Hull and halve the strawberries. Remove the crusts from the bread slices. Line a 900 ml pudding basin with cling film, leaving a generous overhang on all sides.

Combine the blackcurrants, redcurrants, and caster sugar with 2 tbsp of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the currants just begin to burst, about 3–4 minutes — the juice will turn a deep crimson and the berries will slump slightly.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Gently fold in the raspberries and strawberries, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

Strain the cooled fruit through a sieve set over a bowl, pressing lightly, to collect all the juice. Keep the fruit and juice separate.

Dip each bread slice briefly into the collected juice, saturating both sides fully. Press one round of juice-soaked bread into the base of the cling film-lined basin, then line the sides with overlapping slices, cutting to fit so there are no gaps.

Spoon the fruit into the lined basin, packing it in firmly, then pour over half the remaining juice.

Cover the fruit completely with a final layer of juice-soaked bread, trimming to fit neatly, then fold the cling film overhang over the top to seal.

Set a small plate directly on top of the pudding and weight it down with a heavy tin or a 500 g weight. Refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, or ideally overnight, until the bread is fully set and deeply coloured.

To serve, unwrap the cling film top, invert the pudding onto a serving plate, and carefully peel away the remaining cling film. Spoon any reserved juice over any pale patches on the bread. Slice at the table and serve with lightly whipped double cream.