Here’s a stunning dessert to grace your Christmas table this year. It’s extremely easy to put together as it’s an assembly job rather than involving any arduous cooking and the flavours are simply heavenly.

Serves 8-10

¼ cup dark cocoa

2 tbsps sugar

2 cups boiling water

200g store-bought sponge fingers

500g mascarpone

½ cup caster sugar

¼ cup marsala or sweet dessert wine

2 cups raspberries, fresh (see note) or frozen and thawed

150mls fresh cream, soft whipped

100g white chocolate, chopped roughly or grated

1-2 tbsps Fresh As raspberry powder

1. Begin by making a hot chocolate by dissolving cocoa and sugar with boiling water. Cool.

2. Whisk together the mascarpone, sugar and marsala until smooth. Spread a thin layer in base of a shallow ceramic serving dish.

3. Dip each sponge finger briefly in liquid cocoa then layer these into the dish to create a single layer. Use a spatula to spread over half of remaining mascarpone mixture then spoon over half raspberries. Arrange another layer of sponge fingers followed by the remaining mascarpone and raspberries. Spoon over whipped cream. Chill for at least one hour (see note).

4. Before serving garnish with raspberry powder and white chocolate.