Baked Fruit Charlotte

In a cooked version of the Summer Pudding method, crisp, golden bread encases tender fruit in this family pudding. Serve hot, with cream, yogurt or warm Crème Anglaise.

1. Trim the crusts off 4-5 bread slices, halve them, then cut off an acute angle with a round cutter to form curved-ended wedges.

   

2. Arrange the wedges in the base of a generously buttered charlotte mould, then press them down.

   

3. Line the side of the mould with a neat layer of bread, overlapping the slices to ensure there are no gaps in the bread layer. Brush the bread with melted unsalted butter.

   

4. Peel, core and slice 500 g cooking apples. Cook with 100 g sugar until tender (not pulpy). Add 50 g raisins, 4 peeled, sliced peaches and the greated rind of 1 orange. Once softend, place the fruit in the mould.

   

5. Butter bread triangles on one side and use to top the fruit, buttered-side down. Brush with more butter and bake at 180°C for 1 hour, until golden. Unmould and serve.