Summer Berry and Cherry Pudding

Method

Place the berries and Opies cherries in a large saucepan with the sugar. You can adjust the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of your berries and your personal preference.
Heat the berries and sugar over low to medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar has completely dissolved and the berries start to release their juices. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook; you want the berries to remain somewhat whole.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the berry mixture cool slightly.
Line a 1.5-litre pudding basin or a similar-sized bowl with plastic wrap, leaving some overhang.
Trim the crusts off the slices of white bread. Depending on the size of your bowl, you may need to cut some of the bread slices into smaller pieces to fit the bottom and sides.
Dip each slice of bread into the berry mixture quickly to moisten it but not soak it completely. Place these slices at the bottom and around the sides of your prepared bowl. Overlap them slightly to ensure there are no gaps.
Spoon the cooked berry mixture into the bread-lined bowl. Press down gently to make sure the berries fill all the spaces.
Cover the top with more slices of moistened bread, trimming them to fit if necessary. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the top to cover the pudding.
Place a weight or something heavy on top of the pudding (like a can or a small plate with a weight on it) to compress the contents. This helps the pudding set properly.
Refrigerate the summer berry pudding for at least 6 hours, or overnight if possible, to allow the flavors to meld and the pudding to set.
To serve, carefully unwrap the plastic from the top of the pudding and place a serving plate upside down on top of the pudding bowl. Flip it over to release the pudding onto the plate.
Garnish the summer berry pudding with extra fresh berries and serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.