Summer Pudding (Irish)

Cookbook author and food historian Theodora FitzGibbon writes that "Summer pudding was often made in the past by people who didn't like pastry." I suspect that it would probably be more accurate to say "people who didn't like to (or know how to) make pastry." Some purists insist that summer pudding should be made only with raspberries and red currants, but I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to use an assortment of whatever berries are in season. In any case, though it is called a pudding, it is mostly pure fruit.

16-20 slices dry (but not too hard) good-quality white bread, crusts trimmed
2½ lb assorted summer fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, red currants, and/or black currants, at least two kinds, with larger fruit halved or quartered (1.25 kg)
¼-¾ cup sugar, depending on the sweetness of the berries (50-150 g)

To Serve:
clotted or whipped cream (optional)

Line a 1 qt (1 L) bowl or pudding basin with the bread slices, overlapping them slightly and cutting them as necessary to fit the bottom and sides. Leave aside enough slices to completely cover the top.

Combine the fruit, sugar, and ½-1 cup (120-240 mL) of water (depending on the juiciness of the berries) in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly and crushing the berries slightly with a wooden spoon. When the mixture boils, remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Spoon the fruit mixture into the bread Lined bowl, then fit the remaining slices on top. Cut a piece of wax paper to exactly cover the top layer of bread, put a plate or pie pan that fits the space exactly, then weigh the pudding down with 1 or 2 heavy cans.

Refrigerate overnight, then remove the weights and plate and invert the pudding onto a serving platter. Serve with clotted or whipped cream, if you like.

Makes 8 servings.