Traditional Australian Summer Pudding Food

SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine berries and caster sugar in a large saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until juices are released and sugar is dissolved (5-6 minutes). Strain through a sieve into a bowl and reserve berries and liquid separately.
• Butter and sugar a 2-litre pudding bowl. From one bread slice, cut out a round large enough to fit pudding bowl base, brush with berry liquid and place brushed-side down in bowl. Cut 8 bread slices in half diagonally to form triangles and cut remaining slices in half vertically to form rectangles. Brush one side of each slice with berry liquid. Snugly line side of bowl with slices, brushed-side down, starting with a rectangle and 2 triangles. Repeat with remaining bread, overlapping to fit and fill gaps (reserve 8 triangles for the top; there may be some bread slices left over). Spoon berries into centre and press gently down to level, then spoon half the remaining berry liquid over, ensuring bread edges are soaked. Arrange reserved bread triangles on top, overlapping to cover. Pour remaining berry liquid over, weight with a small plate and refrigerate until firm and flavours develop (overnight).
• Whisk cream and vanilla seeds in a bowl to combine and set aside. Turn out pudding onto a serving plate, top with remaining berries, dust with icing sugar and serve with vanilla cream.

TRADITIONAL AUSTRALIAN SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Cut a large round from one of the slices of bread to fit in the bottom of a six-cup pudding bowl or basin. Cut the remaining slices in half and use to line the sides of the bowl, overlapping the slices slightly and trimming where necessary. Once you have finished lining the bowl, you should have enough bread left over for the top.
• Put the redcurrants, blackcurrants and blueberries in a saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice, water and kirsch (if using) and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the juices start to flow from the berries. Add the remaining fruits - the blackberries, raspberries and strawberries - and heat gently for 5 minutes or until the berries have just softened. Remove from the heat.
• Spoon the fruit and juice into the lined pudding bowl and cover with the reserved bread, then cover with plastic wrap. Stand the bowl on a plate or small plastic tray to catch any juices. Place a small, flat plate on top of the pudding and add some extra weight, ideally about 1 kilo. Two tubs of margarine would do the job! Chill the pudding overnight.
• When you are ready to serve the pudding, remove the weights and the plate and plastic wrap, and using a palette knife, gently loosen it from the sides of the bowl. Invert the pudding onto a plate, preferably one with a small lip, to retain the juices and keep them on the plate. Shake gently to release the pudding, decorate with extra fruit around the base of the pudding and serve the pudding with cardamom cream.
• Cardamom Cream: Mix together the cardamom seeds and the cream and chill for two hours.
• Chef's Tip: To prevent gaps appearing in the bread as you line the bowl, trim the sides of each slice at an angle so that the slices fit more easily around the bowl.

EASY SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Wash and prepare the fruits carefully.
• Place the water and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
• Add the fruits and cook gently for a few minutes - do not boil rapidly.
• Allow the mix to cool and check for sweetness - add more sugar if required.
• Take 8 individual pudding moulds and line with cling film.
• Remove the crusts from the bread.
• Take 8 slices of the bread and cut them in half to form oblongs.
• Line the insides of the moulds with the oblongs.
• On 2 slices cut them into quarters to make squares to line the bottom of the moulds - there should not be any gaps.
• Spoon carefully into the moulds the fruit mixture to the top.
• Keep back some of the juice from the fruits.
• With the remaining bread cut out circles big enough to cover the whole of the mould.
• Place the bread lids on top and fold over the cling film.
• Place the moulds on a tray and place another tray on top.
• Place weights on top of the tray and refrigerate the puddings over night.
• Turn out the puddings and remove the cling film.
• With a pastry brush give the puddings a gentle coat of the saved juices of the fruit. If there are any white bits still showing this will cover them up.
• Serve chilled with pouring cream.