Cooking time: 20 mins.
Preparation time: 30 mins. plus 12 hours to stand
Main cooking utensils: Saucepan, 7- to 8-in. cake and or plain mold

For 6-8 servings you need:
1 lb. gooseberries*
⅔ cup water
⅓ cup sugar
green coloring (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
4 ripe firm pears
8-10 medium thick slices of bread

*To clean the gooseberries, i.e., cut away the stalk and flower ends, use kitchen scissors.

1. Clean the gooseberries, simmer with the water and sugar until a smooth thick purée. Color if desired.
2. Put the lemon juice into a bowl, add the peeled diced pears, and turn round in the lemon juice (this prevents the pears discoloring).
3. Add the pears to the gooseberry purée and mix well; allow to become quite cool.
4. Remove the crusts from the bread and line the bottom and sides of the pan or mold with bread slices.
5. Spoon the gooseberry and pear mixture into the bread-lined pan or mold.
6. Cover with more slices of bread, then put a flat plate or piece of foil on top; add a light weight and leave for 12 hours.

TO SERVE: Turn out and serve with cream or ice cream.

TO VARY: Use any other fruits, e.g., apples and damsons; apples and whole blackberries; mixed berry fruits, etc.

TO STORE: This can be kept several days in a refrigerator or frozen.

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PRINTED IN CANADA Copyright The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd 1973