Recipe by Sophia Lindop.

Recipe

Serves 8 to 10

For the brownie

75 g butter
120 g good quality 70% dark chocolate
1 egg
75 g castor sugar
10 ml strong black coffee
25 g cake flour
A very small pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla essence
¼ tsp crushed chillies

For the dome

75 g mixed citrus peel
45 g raisins
45 g dried cranberries
2 tbsp brandy
100 g unsalted butter, softened
110 g caster sugar
2 egg yolks
750 g fresh ricotta
1 tsp vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
125 ml double-thick cream

To assemble

50 g 85% dark chocolate, melted
20 g pistachios, finely chopped
Zest of 1 grapefruit

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a glass bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs, sugar and coffee together until smooth and creamy.  Add the chocolate and butter to the mixture and mix well.  Sift the flour and salt over the mixture and gently fold it in. Add the chilli and vanilla essence and fold into the mixture.

Spray a 20-cm cake pan well with non-stick spray and line the base with baking paper.  Pour the mixture into the dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave the brownie in the pan to cool.

In the meanwhile, line a dome-shaped bowl with a 20-cm circumference at the top, with a muslin cloth.

Place the fruit in a bowl along with the brandy and allow to soak for at least 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and caster sugar using an electric beater until thick and pale. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the ricotta, vanilla extract, lemon zest and mix well. Using a wooden spoon, fold the soaked fruit into the mixture along with the lemon juice. Lastly, fold in the cream.

Spoon the mixture into the lined bowl and fold the hanging ends of cloth back over to cover. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

To assemble, remove the brownie from the tin and remove the baking paper. Place on a flat plate, turn out the ricotta mixture and place it on the cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Decorate with melted chocolate, pistachios and grapefruit zest.

Serve with the versatile 2018 La Motte Syrah.