Here's how

1. Put all the berries, except the strawberries, in a large pan with 1/2 cup (125ml) water and heat gently for 5 minutes, or until the berries begin to collapse. Add the strawberries and remove from the heat. Add sugar, to taste (how much you need will depend on how ripe the fruit is), and let mixture cool.

2. Use the bread to line a 1-litre pudding basin or 6 x 2/3 cup (170ml) moulds. For the large mould, cut out a large circle from one slice of the bread for the bottom, then cut the rest into wide fingers. For the small moulds, use one slice of bread for each, cutting a circle to fit the bottom and strips to fit snuggly around the sides. Drain a little of the juice off the fruit mixture. Dip one side of each piece of bread in the juice before fitting it, juice-side down, into the basin, leaving no gaps. Do not squeeze or flatten the bread or it will not absorb the juices.

3. Fill the centre of the basin with the fruit and add a little juice. Cover the top with the remaining dipped bread, juice side down and trimmed to fit. Cover with plastic wrap. Place on an oven tray to catch any juices that might overflow. Place a small plate that fits inside the dish onto the plastic wrap, then weigh it down with heavy cans or a glass bowl. For the small moulds, cover with plastic and sit a small can, or a similar weight, on top of each. Refrigerate overnight. To serve, carefully turn out the pudding and serve with any leftover fruit mixture and cream.

Source: Classic Essential Puddings (Murdoch Books)