If the traditional Christmas pud seems too complicated, prepare a chilled dessert that embodies the flavours of summer and can be made in advance, leaving the pudding a no-stress course on Christmas Day.

Ingredients

Basic Sponge

• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tblsp boiling water
• 1 tblsp melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Filling

• 1½ tblsp gelatin
• ¼ cup water
• 500 grams raspberries
• 500 grams fresh lycheese or 565 gram can lychees, well drained
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 250 grams mascarpone
• 250 grams creme fraiche
• ½ cup cream, whipped
• 2-3 tblsp Cointreau

Method

Basic Sponge

1. Whisk the egg and caster sugar together with a hand-held beater or food processor until thick and creamy. Drizzle with hot water, melted butter and vanilla essence around the edge of the bowl and sift the flour on top.
2. Fold together gently. Spoon the mixture into a 23cm greased and lined springform tin. Cook at 180ºC for about 40 minutes or until well-risen and cooked through. The sponge will have shrunk fromt he sides and the centre will be firm to the touch.

Filling

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and allow to swell. Then dissolve by standing over hot water until melted. Alternatively dissolve in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time, stirring at intervals to melt the gelatin without causing it to overcook or string.
2. Sieve ¾ of the raspberries to make a smooth puree. Sweeten with 2 tblsp of the sugar. Peel half the lychees and remove the stones. Chop half the fruit finely and place in a bowl with any juice from the lycheese along with the mascarpone, creme fraiche, whipped cream and remaining caster sugar and orange liqueur. Stir together well.
3. Gently stir in the dissolved gelatin and carefully fold through the raspberry puree.
4. Cut the spong cake in half horizontally and place one half into the base of a baking paper-lined 23 cm cake tin. Pour the raspberry cheesecake mixture into the tin and level off. Sit the remaining spong half on top and press down firmly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
5. Remove the sides of the cake tin and peel away the paper. Transfer to a serving plate and decorate with icing sugar, remaining raspberries, lychees and toffee shards.
6. Toffee Shards: Place ½ cup sugar or caster sugar in a heavy-based saucepan with 2-3 tblsp water and stir gently over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, stop stirring and boil rapidly until the sugar syrup begins to turn a golden colour. Pour out onto a baking paper-lined tray and leave to set. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.