Ingredients

• 300g/11oz mixed frozen fruits
• defrosted
• 1 punnet mixed fresh berries: strawberries
• blackberries and raspberries
• (strawberries trimmed and cut into quarters)
• 50g/2oz caster sugar
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• roughly chopped
• 14 thin slices white bread
• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 110ml/4fl oz water
• 1 large bunch fresh basil

Directions

• Place 150g/5½oz of the defrosted mixed fruit into a bowl.
• Add half the fresh berries
• half the caster sugar and the basil leaves.
• Stir well and set to one side.
• Place the remainder of the frozen fruit and the sugar into a food processor and blend to a purée.
• Pour the sauce through a fine sieve and set aside.
• Remove the crusts from the bread and
• using a chefs' ring
• cut out four circles to fit the bottom of four ramekins. Repeat this process to create lids for the pudding.
• With the remaining bread cut out slices to line the inner edge of each ramekin.
• Lightly oil the inside of each ramekin
• then line with cling film.
• Dip the small bread circles on one side in the fruit purée and place in the bottom of the mould
• dipped-side down.
• Repeat with the bread slices to cover the sides
• overlapping slightly.
• Fill the centre with the reserved basil-infused fruits and a drizzle of fruit purée (reserving some for the final rounds of bread) between the contents and press down well.
• Dip one side of the four remaining rounds of bread in the last of the fruit purée.
• Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
• To make the basil syrup
• place the sugar and water into a saucepan over a high heat and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer for 6-8 minutes until a thick sugar syrup is formed
• without caramelising the sugar.
• Add the basil leaves
• then remove from the heat and leave to infuse and cool.
• Once cool
• place into a food processor and blend to a sauce.
• Strain the basil syrup into a jug through a muslin-lined sieve.
• To serve
• turn the puddings out onto a plate and garnish with any remaining fruit purée and place the remaining fresh berries over the top. Finish with a drizzle of basil syrup.