SERVES 8-10

Believed to have been inspired by Florence’s Duomo, zuccotto is a wonderful dessert for a festive occasion. Make it up to three days in advance – it improves with time.

4 medium eggs

150g caster sugar

pinch of salt

lOOg flour

30g cocoa

/2 teaspoon baking powder

25g butter, melted

SOOg cherries, stones removed

/3 cup sugar

juice of 1 orange

3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or

other orange liqueur or brandy 200g ricotta lOOg mascarpone

4 tablespoons icing sugar

/a cup finely chopped candied

orange peel 200ml cream

Preheat the oven to i8o°C.

Butter a 30cm x 20cm Swiss roll tin and line the base with baking paper.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt until thick and pale. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together over the mixture and gently fold in then fold in the butter, Spoon the mixture into the prepared

tin and bake for 15 minutes. Turn out and cool on a rack.

Put the cherries in a saucepan with the sugar and orange juice. Cover and simmer over a very low heat for 10 minutes until tender. Strain the cherries and set aside, reserving the juice. When the juice is cool, add

2 tablespoons of the Grand Marnier and set aside.

Line a 6-7 cup pudding basin or bowl with plenty of plastic wrap. Cut the sponge into long triangular pieces, setting aside a round piece to cover the top, and use to line the inside of the basin. Moisten the sponge, including the piece for the top, with the reserved cherry juice.

Place the ricotta, mascarpone,

3 tablespoons of the icing sugar and the remaining tablespoon of Grand Marnier in a bowl and beat until smooth. Fold in the orange peel and half the poached cherries. Spread this mixture over the sponge.

Place the remaining cherries and icing sugar in a food processor and blend to a puree. Whisk the cream to just beyond soft peaks (it should be firm but not overwhipped),

Place the cherry puree in a bowl and fold in the whipped cream. Fill the centre of the sponge with this mixture. Place the remaining piece of sponge on the top then cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 3 days.

Turn out on to a plate to serve.