Ingredients

• 500 grams quality ricotta
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 egg yolks
• ½ cup cream, lightly whipped
• 100 grams dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 glace pear halves, diced
• grated rind 1 leon
• few drops lemon food colouring
• 250 gram sponge cake
• ¼ cup Marsala, approximately (optional)
• icing sugar to serve

Method

1. Process the ricotta, sugar and vanilla essence in a food processor until smooth. Divide the mixture in half.
2. To one half beat in egg yolks, whipped cream and chocolate. To the remaining half add the glace pear and lemon rind. Colour this half gently with a little lemon food colouring, cover and place in the fridge.
3. Cut sponge in half horizontally and cut into pieces to fit the sides and base of a 20cm plastic-wrapped and lined pudding basil. Brush sponge with Marsala, if using.
4. Pour the chocolate ricotta mix into the sponge base. Cover the outside of a small 2-cup capacity bowl with plastic wrap, and carefully set it into the centre of the chocolate ricotta mix, pressing down until the mix rises up around the edges. Place in the freezer for 2 hours to set.
5. Remove the bowl and plastic wrap and fill the central hole with pear and lemon ricotta mixture. Return to the freezer and leave overnight until firm.
6. Remove from the freezer 30 mintues before serving and invert onto a serving plate. Dust liberally with icing sugar and cut into wedges to serve.

Cooks Tips

- You can add a little Kahlua to the chocolate portion if wished and a little Limoncello to the pear and lemon portion for additional flavour.