Flourless Chocolate Torte with Poached Tamarillos

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Don’t let the base touch the water. Cool until lukewarm.

Separate the eggs and place the yolks and whites in large separate bowls. Beat the egg yolks with ½ a cup of the sugar, the spices and vanilla until thick and pale and trebled in volume. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and use a large metal spoon to gently fold in until no white streaks remain.

Beat the egg whites until frothy then gradually beat in the remaining ½ cup of sugar until thick and glossy. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 4 batches, keeping as much air in the mixture as possible.

Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25 - 30 minutes until they have a lovely dry, crusty top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins. The cakes will deflate on cooling. Remove the lining paper. Place one cake on a serving platter and spread with the cream. Top with the second cake. Dust with a little combined cocoa and icing sugar.

Red Wine and Pomegranate Molasses Poached Tamarillos

Cut a small cross in the pointed end of each tamarillo.

Blanch the tamarillos in a saucepan of boiling water for about 30 seconds then plunge into a bowl of cold water. Gently peel off the skins. Return to the boiling water for a few more seconds if they don’t peel easily.

Place all the remaining ingredients in a saucepan that will hold the tamarillos snugly. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the tamarillos and simmer very gently for 8-10 minutes or until tender but not starting to fall apart. Turn the tamarillos once during cooking. Carefully remove the fruit with a slotted spoon to a shallow dish. Put the poaching syrup back over the heat and cook at a fast simmer for 5 minutes to reduce. Cool the fruit and syrup separately then pour the syrup over the fruit and chill.

The poached fruit will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge and will become a richer red colour if made a day ahead of serving.