Fruit baked or cooked in wine and served warm or chilled is a perfect way to pay tribute to a fine summer's meal and what more delightful than today’s dessert of mixed fruit simmered in sweet wine? Better still, this can be made well in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.

For four portions you need:

Ingredients

½ cup prunes, seeds remove

½ cup dried peaches

8 dried figs, halved

½ cup dried apricots

1 tablespoon seedless raisins

1 tablespoon currants

½ cup caster sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

½ cup hanepoot (or any other sweet wine)

320ml (about 1.5 cups) dry white wine

4 cinnamon sticks

4 light crushed cardamom pods

Method

In a pot combined the sugar, caster sugar, wine, hanepoot and honey.

Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved.

Add the cinnamon and cardamom and let the sweet sauce murmur along uncovered for a further four minutes or so.

Add the fruit and continue simmering for about 10 minutes or until fruit is soft.

Remove cinnamon stick and cardamom pods before serving.

Serve well chilled with baby finger biscuits or Italian biscotti biscuits and a dollop of cream, custard, yoghurt or ice cream.