Summer Pudding

6-8 slices of white bread, crusts removed
750g of assorted berries - strawberries, raspberries, red currants, blueberries, loganberries, blackberries
1/4 cup water
half cup sugar
3 tablespoons rum (optional)

Lightly oil a pudding basin or other suitable container and line with the bread, making sure there are no gaps.

Place the fruit in a pan with the water and sugar and heat gently till the berries release their juices but stay reasonably whole. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum.

Pour into the bread-lined container, saving a little of the liquid. Top with the remaining bread. Cover with a suitable sized plate and a weight (an unopened can of food works well) and refrigerate.

To serve, loosen the pudding from the size of the bowl with a flexible metal spatula and turn the pudding onto a serving plate. If there are any patches where the berry juice hasn't penetrated, spoon over a little of the reserved liquid.

Serve with whipped cream or creme fraiche.