Serves 6

This dessert shows that you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to create a stunning and delicious end to a meal – although a little manpower is needed for the zabaglione. Cooking times for the fruit will vary depending on how ripe they are to begin with – you want them to soften until tender, giving them time to absorb the cooking liquor without falling apart.

1 bottle of red wine, such as chianti

500ml ruby port

50g caster sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

2 ripe firm pears

2 dessert apples

3 ripe fresh figs

3 ripe plums

Amaretti biscuits, to serve

FOR THE ZABAGLIONE

5 egg yolks

125g caster sugar

100ml sweet dessert wine, such as marsala

1½ tbsp whisky

1½ tbsp brandy

1 Pour the wine and port into a pan, stir in the sugar and add the cinnamon sticks. Place over a low heat and warm until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil and allow to bubble until reduced by half. Meanwhile, prepare the fruit. Peel, quarter and core the pears and apples. Halve the figs and plums, and remove the stones from the latter.

2 Add the fruit to the reduced wine mixture and simmer over a low heat for about 10 minutes, until it is deep red in colour and soft but holding its shape. Transfer the fruit to a large bowl, return the poaching liquid to the boil and continue to cook until it has reduced by another two-thirds, or until you are left with a syrupy glaze. Pour this over the fruit and allow to steep while you make the zabaglione.

3 For the zabaglione, bring a shallow depth of water to simmering point in a medium saucepan. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl that will fit snugly on top of the pan without its base touching the water. With the bowl on a work surface, begin to whisk the yolks and sugar together with a hand-held electric whisk until pale and thick. Add the dessert wine and spirits and whisk again.

4 Place the bowl over the pan of boiling water and continue to whisk for 8-10 minutes, until the mixture is thick and creamy and almost tripled in volume – you will know it is ready when the mixture leaves a trail on the surface.

5 Divide the fruit and poaching liquor between serving bowls and spoon over the hot zabaglione. Pass a cook’s blowtorch over the surface of the zabaglione until it turns lightly golden. Serve immediately with amaretti biscuits.

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