Late summer pudding

Step 1

Put the plums, greengages, damsons, sugar and gin in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer until the plums, greengages and damsons have started to soften. Add the berries, bring back to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes, then tip the fruit into a sieve over a bowl to catch the syrup.

Step 2

Return the syrup to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes, until it has thickened slightly. Leave to cool.

Step 3

If you are nervous about turning the pudding out, lightly oil the basin and line it with cling film.

Step 4

Cut the bread into 16 slices and cut off the crusts. Cut out two circles from the bread for the base and top of the pudding and cut the rest of the slices into rectangles. Dip one side of each piece of bread into the syrup and arrange them, syrup-side down, around the base and sides of the pudding basin. Make sure the slices overlap, so no gaps can appear. This should use about two-thirds of the bread. (Keep any leftover syrup to serve alongside the finished pudding.)

Step 5

Spoon the fruit into the basin, then arrange the remaining slices of bread on top. Cover with a plate small enough to sit just inside the basin, then weigh it down with a couple of tins or other weights. Leave the pudding in the fridge overnight.

Step 6

To serve, turn the pudding out on to a serving plate and brush with some of the fruit syrup. Garnish with extra berries and serve with the remaining syrup and clotted or pouring cream.