Ingredients
For the blackcurrant and redcurrant essence
500g/17½oz frozen blackcurrants, defrosted
300g/10½oz frozen redcurrants, defrosted
5 tbsp icing sugar
For the fruit paint and jelly filling
50g/2oz blackcurrants
50g/2oz caster sugar
100g/3½oz redcurrants
50g/2oz strawberries, hulls removed, cut into quarters
100g/3½oz raspberries
50g/2oz blackberries
squeeze lemon juice
200ml/17fl oz wild strawberry purée
pinch agar-agar powder (available from specialist suppliers and Asian grocers)
For the bread pudding
1 loaf white bread
1 soft white bread roll, sliced into four 3mm slices
For the dried strawberries
4 strawberries, hulls removed, thinly sliced
For the Lancashire cheese ice cream
420ml/15fl oz double cream
420ml/15fl oz milk
10 free-range egg yolks
180g/6oz caster sugar
300g/10oz cream cheese
150g/5oz Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire cheese, or similar cheese, grated
For the raspberry syrup
100g/4oz granulated sugar
25ml/1fl oz water
100g/4oz raspberries
For the bread cone dough (makes enough for eight bread cones)
56g/2oz bread flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp invert sugar syrup (generally only commercially available - substitute gomme syrup or stock syrup)
2 tbsp sourdough starter
2 tsp yeast
1 heaped tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tbsp butter
½ tsp bread improver
70ml/2½oz water
2 tsp salt
For the bread cone
140g/5oz bread dough (see above)
flour, for dusting
icing sugar, for dusting
1 tsp poppy seeds
To serve
100g/3½oz chocolate-coated crackling candy
4 chocolate flake bars (70 per cent cocoa)
Specialist equipment
muslin cloth
commercial ice cream maker
Method
1. For the blackcurrant and redcurrant essence, place the defrosted blackcurrants and redcurrants into a muslin cloth, tie up tightly then squeeze all of the juice out from the fruit into a bowl, which will yield approximately 400ml/14fl oz. Whisk the icing sugar into the juice until dissolved, then measure out 100ml/3½fl oz for the jelly filling and reserve the remaining 300ml/10½fl oz essence for the paint.
2. For the fruit paint and jelly filling, place the blackcurrants into a pan along with 20g/1oz of the sugar and heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the blackcurrants start to break down. Mix together with half of the redcurrants, the all the strawberries, half of the raspberries and all the blackberries in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and remaining sugar and mix well. Leave for 45 minutes, or until the fruit juices have come out.
3. Strain the juice into a bowl, then place the fruit into a clean muslin cloth and tie up. Hang over the bowl, squeezing the fruit gently to release the all of the juices. Remove the redcurrants and raspberries from the fruit mixture, then place all of the remaining fruit into another bowl and mix with the remaining whole fresh raspberries and redcurrants.
4. Add the 300ml/10½fl oz of reserved blackcurrant and redcurrant essence to the bowl with the strained juices, along with the wild strawberry purée to make the fruit paint. Measure out 100ml/3½fl oz for serving, and the rest for soaking the bread.
5. For the jelly filling, bring the 100ml/3½fl oz of the blackcurrant and redcurrant essence to the boil in a heavy-based pan, then whisk in the agar-agar powder until dissolved. Pour into a small bowl and chill in the fridge, covered, until lightly set. When set, spoon four teaspoons of the jelly into the fruit mixture and reserve the remaining jelly to coat the puddings.
6. For the bread puddings, cut the white bread into four 10cm x 7cm/4in x 3in slices and trim off the crusts. Soak each slice of bread in the reserved fruit paint. Place the bread slices onto a sheet of cling film, overlapping the slices slightly, and spoon a heaped tablespoon of the jellied fruit mixture at the bottom of the bread slices. Roll the bread up around the fruit then wrap in cling film 3 to 4 times and tie at each end to form a small roll. Repeat this process three more times with the remaining bread and fruit filling until you have four rolls. Chill in the fridge for one hour, or until set.
7. Once set, carefully cut each end of the rolls off with a sharp knife and remove the cling film. Place each roll onto a wire rack and spread the reserved fruit jelly evenly over each roll evenly until completely covered. Chill in the fridge until needed.
8. For the Lancashire cheese ice cream, bring the cream and milk to the boil together in a heavy-based pan. Take off the heat immediately.
9. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy, then add half of the warm milk and cream mixture and whisk to combine. Slowly add the remaining milk and cream mixture, whisking continuously, until smooth. Pour back into a clean pan and cook over a low heat, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
10. Add the cream cheese and Lancashire cheese to the mixture and blend with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
11. Churn the cheese ice cream mixture in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream into a freezable container and chill in the freezer until needed.
12. For the raspberry syrup, bring the sugar and water to the boil in a pan, then add the raspberries and mix well. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool. Blend with a stick blender, then pass through a fine sieve and transfer to a squeeze bottle. Set aside.
13. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4.
14. For the bread cone dough, mix all of the dough ingredients together except for the salt in a bowl until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Cover the bowl with cling film and allow to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
15. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the bread attachment for 4-5 minutes. Add the salt, then mix for a further 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into 35g/1½oz portions and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Cover with cling film and leave to prove until doubled in size.
16. For the bread cone, pass the dough through a pasta machine, working down from the thickest setting down to thinnest, dusting the dough lightly with flour each time to prevent it from sticking. Once the dough is thin enough, you should be able to see your hand through it. Lay flat on a floured work surface.
17. Cut the dough sheet into four 11cm/5in squares, then slice each square into triangles. Dust each side of the triangles with icing sugar, then sprinkle one side with poppy seeds.
18. Carefully wrap the dough, with the poppy seeds on the outside, around a cone mould to form a cone, pressing the edges together to seal. Place onto a baking tray, crease side down, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes, then carefully remove from the cone mould. Keep in an airtight container until ready to use.
19. To serve, place a summer pudding in the centre of each of four serving bowls and dust with a little icing sugar. Pour the 100ml/3½fl oz of reserved fruit essence into four small serving jugs to serve alongside the pudding. Spoon the chocolate-coated crackling candy into the bottom of the bread cones, then place a scoop of Lancashire ice cream on top. Squeeze a little raspberry syrup over and serve with a chocolate flake in each. Place the cones into the cone holders and serve alongside the summer pudding.
