Serves 6-8
- 225g/4oz Picota cherries halved and stones removed
- 2 Plums, stones removed and sliced
- 1 Peach, stone removed and sliced
- 1 Nectarine, stone removed and sliced
- 125g/4oz Caster sugar
- Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
- 10-12 Slices of thick white bread
1. Place the fruits into a medium-sized saucepan, add the sugar and seeds from the vanilla pod and turn gently until dissolved, continue this for 2-3 minutes, ensuring the fruit does not begin to cook or cave in.
2. Taste the juice to test the sweetness, you may wish to add a little more sugar, yet be aware of over sweetening.
3. Grease a size 24 pudding bowl thoroughly with butter and remove the crusts from the bread. Begin to line the bowl with the bread slices, ensuring no gaps are left for leaks to occur.
4. Spoon the fruit into the bowl, try to leave the majority of the juice in the pan and pour them into a jug to be kept for later.
5. Cover the bowl with a slice of bread, cutting it to fit perfectly on top. Following this, fit a plate inside the top of the bowl, and place some weights on top to compress the fruit.
6. Refrigerate overnight.
7. Remove the pudding from the fridge at least half an hour before serving, turn it out on to a plate, and pour over the remaining fruit juices.