A perennial favourite as a dessert. Use the freshest berries of your choice.

Ingredients

• 225 grams apples (1 large eating apple)
• ¼ cup water
• 1 kg summer berries (redcurrants, blackcurrants, stoned cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, raspberries, blueberries or strawberries)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 loaf stale bread, sliced into 1cm slices, crusts removed

Method

1. Peel, core and finely slice the apple. Place into a saucepan with the water and simmer ever so gently for about 10 minutes until the apples are cooked and limp but certainly not mushy.
2. Add the berry fruits and half of the sugar and stir gently. Bring to the boil and when just at boiling point remove from the heat. The fruits will be barely cooked and there will be plenty of juice. Taste and add more sugar, if wished. Allow to cool.
3. Dip the bread slices into the juice and arrange them neatly into the base and asides of a 4-5 cup capacity pudding basin.
4. Fill with well drained fruits and reserve the syrup. Cover the fruit with bread slices and place a piece of plastic wrap on top. Cover with a saucer and weight with a can of fruit or similar overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Turn out to serve and brush with reserved juice to give a delicious shine. Serve with whipped cream flavoured with grated lemon rind.

Cooks Tips

- Stand the pudding basin in a large dish in the refrigerator just in case the juice flows over the sides. - If you are using frozen berries, you may find you will have more juice left over. Add sugar and boil to make a syrup for drinks. - Use brioche in place of plain white bread. - Use a liqueur such as Cointreau or Galliano in place of water.