There’s something very Nordic about the smell of Christmas spices, when cloves, star anise, cardamom and cinnamon come together to create that distinct aroma. These spices feature in mulled wine, which is a treat in the cold but has its uses in the kitchen too – as a marinade for meat, for example, or for poaching fruits for a dessert as here.
You could always replace the ricotta with mascarpone or vanilla ice cream in this recipe but I do like how the savoury ricotta balances the sweetness of the poached plums. Left-over plums can be kept in the syrup and served with yoghurt and granola.