Summer Pudding With Blueberries and Raspberries

Ingredients

• 1 loaf brioche bread, good-quality and firm (unsliced) or 1 lb white bread, good-quality and firm
• 4 cups blueberries (1 LB)
• 5 cups raspberries (18 oz)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh

Directions

1. 1

   Cut bread into 14 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Cut out a 3-inch round from 1 slice and put in bottom of bowl. Line side of bowl with 10 slices, overlapping them slightly.

2. 2

   Bring berries, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries collapse and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Spoon fruit into a sieve set over a bowl and let drain 15 minutes. Spoon drained fruit into bread-lined bowl (reserve juices) and cover completely with remaining bread, cutting bread to fit.

3. 3

   Pour juices evenly over bread, making sure all bread is saturated. Cover pudding directly with a piece of wax paper and place a 7-inch plate, upside down, on top of paper. Put a 1- to 1 1/2-pound weight (such as a large can) on plate and chill at least 8 hours.

4. 4

   Remove weight, plate, and wax paper and invert platter over bowl, then invert bowl onto platter. Carefully unmold.

5. 5

   Cooks' note: Pudding can be chilled (with weights) up to 3 days.