Summer pudding with elderflower

Use sourdough bread in this summer pudding to complement the sweetness of berries and elderflower – a perfect summer dessert

4 tbsp caster sugar
800g mixed seasonal fruit (strawberries, cherries, gooseberries and raspberries)
3 tbsp elderflower cordial
butter, for the pudding basin
½ loaf of stale white sourdough, crusts removed, sliced
cream or crème fraîche, to serve

Bring 350ml water to the boil in a large pan with the sugar, stirring to dissolve it. Add the fruit, bring back to a simmer, then stir and turn off the heat. Add the cordial, stir and transfer to a dish to cool.
Lightly butter a 1-litre pudding basin (this helps the cling film stick), line with cling film, butter the cling film, then line that with the slices of bread, pressing them up against each other. You’ll need two round discs of bread for the bottom and top of the basin, one slightly larger than the other. Place the smaller disc at the bottom of the basin. Fill the bread-lined basin with the fruit and syrup right to the top, keeping any leftover fruit and syrup for serving. Place the larger disc on the top and put the basin on a baking tray. Cover with a plate that sits just inside the basin, then weigh that down with a heavy mortar or tin and put in the fridge overnight.
Turn out carefully onto a plate, and serve with plenty of cream and any leftover fruit and syrup.