SERVES 8-12
250 g golden caster sugar
300 ml red wine, such as Shiraz
1 cinnamon stick, halved lengthwise
6-8 small dessert pears, peeled, halved, cored
350 g good-quality bitter chocolate
1 mandorlata cake or panettone (1 kg)
250 g ricotta cheese
500 g good-quality vanilla custard 250 ml white rum
500 g strained natural Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 sheets edible gold leaf, optional

Combine 175 g caster sugar, the wine, cinnamon and 650 ml boiling water in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Add the pears and poach for 20-35 minutes, then remove. Boil liquid for 20 minutes until reduced to 400 ml, and remove the cinnamon. Pour 200 ml of this syrup into another pan. Add 200 g chocolate; stir and gently cook to create a sauce, then cool. Cut the cake or panettone into chunks and use some to line the base of the serving dish. Sit the pears on top and drizzle with the wine syrup. Pour the chocolate sauce over. Whisk half the ricotta, half the custard and 4 tablespoons of rum, and spoon over. Add a final layer of cake and remaining rum. Whisk together half the yogurt, remaining ricotta and sugar and the vanilla essence, and pour over. Chop and scatter the rest of the chocolate. Whisk the remaining custard and yogurt, and pour on top. Decorate with gold leaf, if liked.

DECEMBER 2006
RECIPE CLARE FERGUSON
PHOTOGRAPHS JEAN CAZALS