An Italian influenced recipe made with British ingredients
RECIPE DETAILS
1. Soak the sultanas in 200ml of the mulled wine for 20 minutes. Bring to the boil for 5 minutes, pull to one side and allow to cool.
2. Peel, core and ¼ the pears.
3. In a saucepan heat the rest of the wine and add the pears, cover with greaseproof paper and cook for 40mins.
4. Preheat the oven to 160°c.
5. Beat the cream cheese with a spatula.
6. Separate the eggs and fold the yolks into the mixture.
7. Grate the zest from the lemon into the mixture. Juice the lemon and add to the mixture. Carefully fold in both zest and juice.
8. Strain the sultanas and add to the cheese mixture.
9. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl, slowly adding the sugar until it forms stiff peaks.
10. Melt the butter in a small pan then fold it into the cheese mixture.
11. Split a vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds and add them to the mixture.
12. Finally fold in the egg whites.
13. Grease and line a spring-form baking tin with baking paper. Smooth the mixture into the baking tin with a spatula.
14. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes.
15. Remove from the oven, push a knife through the centre and check it comes out clean. Release from the tin carefully, cut a slice and serve with two quarters of the mulled pears and a drizzle of double cream.
