Red Berry Summer Pudding

📝 Ingredients

• 800 g frozen mixed berries
• 80 g caster sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• ½ lemon (for the juice)
• 9 slices white sandwich bread (about 25 g each)
• 300 g fromage frais, 3% fat
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

🍴 Utensils

• Saucepan
• Sieve + bowl
• 1-litre bowl or pudding basin
• Cling film
• Small plate + 2 tins (to weigh it down)
• Serrated knife

📖 Steps

1. Tip the still-frozen berries into a saucepan with the sugar and water. Heat over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring gently, just until the fruit has thawed and released plenty of juice: it should stay whole, not turn into jam.
2. Off the heat, add the juice of the half lemon and leave to cool slightly for 10 minutes. Set a sieve over a bowl and pour in the fruit to separate the juice: it will be used to soak the bread, and the drained fruit to fill the pudding.
3. Cut the crusts off the bread with a serrated knife. Cut 1 slice into a circle for the bottom of the bowl, keep 2 slices whole for the top and cut the other 6 lengthways into 2 strips each, to line the sides.
4. Line the bowl with cling film, leaving plenty overhanging. Dip the bread circle in the juice for 2 seconds and place it in the bottom, then line the sides with the soaked strips, standing upright and overlapping by 1 cm with no gaps.
5. Spoon the drained fruit into the lined bowl, pressing down lightly with the back of a spoon, then drizzle with 3 tbsp juice. Keep the rest of the juice in a small jar in the fridge: it will be used to colour any white patches once turned out.
6. Cover with the last 2 soaked slices, trimmed if needed to close the bowl completely, then fold the film over. Place a small plate that fits inside the bowl on top, with a weight of about 1 kg (2 full tins). Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight.
7. Just before turning out, whisk the fromage frais with the vanilla extract for 30 seconds with a fork until smooth and glossy. Keep it in the fridge: its milky sweetness balances the tartness of the berries.
8. Remove the weight and plate, open the film and turn the bowl out onto a deep serving dish. Lift off the bowl, carefully peel away the film and spoon the reserved juice over any pale patches. Cut into 6 portions and serve with the vanilla fromage frais.