Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake

In our house, the holidays aren't complete without Pandoro - the mountain shaped sweet bread which Italians love to give as a gift before Christmas.

While delicious on its own, we jump at the opportunity to combine it with ricotta, cherries, and strawberries to make a showstopping holiday dessert. Buon natale!

1. To create the mixture, whip 1 cup of ricotta cheese with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar.

2. Whip up the 3/4 cup of fresh cream.

3. Gradually mix the whipped cream into the ricotta. Add extra icing sugar to taste. 

4. Slice the Pandoro horizontally as pictured, being careful not to damage the points of the 'star' shape.

5. Place the largest (bottom) slice onto your serving dish and brush the top of the slice with a thin layer of the ricotta mixture. Then spread the ricotta mixture and sprinkle the fruits of your choice.

6. Place the next largest slice on top so that the points of the star are staggered, as pictured. Spread the ricotta cream mixture, sprinkle fruit, and then repeat for each slice until you reach the top.

7. Garnish with plenty of fruit and dust all over with icing sugar.

Serve with a cup of coffee and a glass of The JOSEPH Fronti Fortified - the taste of Christmas in a glass!