Summer Berry Pudding
Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten
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3x 250g punnets strawberries
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1 1/2 cups sugar
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1/3 cup water
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500grams raspberries (frozen will do)
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450grams blueberries
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1 brioche or challah bread weighing 600-700grams
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whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to serve
Step 1 - Wash and hull strawberries reserving 3-4 whole ones for decoration and cut into halves or quarters if they're those big, hulking ones. Poach these in the water and sugar in a medium saucepan until starting to become soft for about 5 minutes. Then add raspberries and blueberries just leaving a handful of blueberries for decorating and cook for 2 minutes or so. Set aside to cool.
Step 2 - Take a high ceramic souffle dish - do not grease, the pudding _will _slide out. Slice the crusts off the bread and cut it into 1cm thick slices. I used a round cutter to get the pattern on top but you don't have to and it looks just as nice if you just cut pieces to fit the pudding so that it sits snugly and flat. Ladle over some of the sauce making sure not to leave any yellow pieces of bread as this will not look very good. Ladle over some fruit and then repeat with the brioche, syrup and fruit until the top of the souffle dish is reached. Cover with cling wrap and then place a plate and 3 cans on top to weigh it down. Make room in the fridge for this and place it in the fridge overnight or for 6 hours.
Step 3 - When ready to serve, and you want to unmould this around about when you want to serve it, run a thin knife around the edge of the pudding to help ease it out. Unmould in onto the serving plate carefully, it should slip out despite any nervousness.
Step 4 - Decorate with extra berries and a sprig of mint and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.