Summer Pudding

My SiL hosted a lunch party today for around 30 people.

In a moment of weakness, I offered to make a pudding.

I chose to adapt a recipe from the current issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. 

Ingredients: 150ml Pimm's,

Juice of 2 oranges and 2 lemons,

7 tbsp icing sugar, sifted,

3 sprigs mint,

1/4 cucumber, roughly chopped,

175g Italian sponge fingers,
About 600g strawberries, hulled, plus extra to garnish,

8 tbsp strawberry jam (although I actually used raspberry),

600ml ready-made custard (although I actually used mascarpone cheese),

 2 tsp vanilla extract.

 Method: In a small pan, mix Pimm's, orange and lemon juice, 

5 tbsp icing sugar, mint and cucumber.  Heat gently until you see

bubbles breaking the surface.  Remove from heat and set aside 

to infuse for 30 minutes.  Strain into a jug

 (discard mint and cucumber). 

 Put biscuits in a shallow baking tray in a single layer. 

 Pour over the Pimm's mixture and leave to soak for 10 minutes.  

Arrange biscuits in base of a deep, 3.5 litre trifle dish or bowl, to fit snugly.

Drizzle over any remaining soaking liquid. 

 Slice enough hulled strawberries lengthways to make a circle of halves

around the inside of the bowl.  Set aside.  Roughly chop remaining hulled berries,

mix with the jam and spoon over the biscuits.

 Add berry halves, cut-sides pressed to the glass.  

Pour custard over the berry layer.

 In a medium mixing bowl, whip the remaining 2 tbsp icing sugar, 

cream and vanilla extract until it holds soft peaks.

 Spoon on top of the custard.

 Top with a few strawberries/raspberries to garnish. 

 Chill in the fridge for an hour or so before serving.

Serves 10.

Accept all the compliments with good grace.