Summer pudding is a wonderful celebration of the fruits growing in abundance around the UK at this time of year. Popular during the late 19^th to early 20^th centuries, it can be made with almost any mixture of seasonal berries growing in your garden or allotment.

So, if you’ve got an abundance of redcurrants, blackberries, a particularly fruitful strawberry plant, or have been tempted by the delicious-looking, locally grown fruits currently available in the supermarkets, our summer pudding is the perfect recipe to try.

Ingredients:

• 5-7 slices of slightly stale white bread
• 1kg of mixed summer fruits, such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, currants (fresh or frozen fruits are suitable, but we recommend using deliciously fresh local or homegrown fruits during the summer months)
• Zest of 1 orange
• 150g caster sugar

Method:

1. Add your summer fruits to a large saucepan, chopping any larger fruits into small bite-sized pieces if necessary.
2. Sprinkle over the sugar and warm the pan gently on a low heat until the fruit begins to soften and release its juices. Stir regularly to mix in the sugar.
3. Remove from the heat after around 5 minutes. The sugar should have dissolved into the juices of the fruit, but the fruit should have retained its shape. Stir in the zest of 1 orange.
4. As the fruit mixture cools, trim the crusts off 5-8 slices of white bread and use them to line the inside of a medium-sized bowl. You may need to tear the slices to fit the bowl, making sure there are no gaps in the lining. You should have a few slices of bread left over, depending on the size of your bowl. Set these aside for later.
5. Drain off around 100ml of the juice from your fruit mixture and set it aside for later. Pour the remaining fruit mixture, along with its juices, into the bread-lined bowl. This should help to keep the bread in place, and the juices should begin to fully soak into the bread.
6. With the remaining slices of bread, dip them into the juices you reserved earlier and pack them onto the top of the fruits to create a lid for your summer pudding. Carefully pour over any remaining juices, making sure the bread is fully soaked.
7. Using a sheet pan or saucepan, along with any heavy cans or jars you have available, place these on top of the summer pudding to weigh it down. Leave in the fridge overnight.
8. When you’re ready to serve, remove the weights from the top of the bowl and place a large plate upside down on top of the bowl.
9. Carefully flip it over and remove the bowl from the summer pudding. Thanks to the bread having soaked up all the juices, it should slide off easily.
10. Serve generous slices of your summer pudding with a pouring of cream for a deliciously light and fresh dessert.