Nice try Fidget. No slouch when there is a whiff of chocolate in the cartoon kitchen, this time Fidget knew there was a real cracker on the go and he pulled out all the stops.

Torta alle pere e cioccolato

But not even a divinity could beat Trota’s determination: chocolate is not for dogs. Oh dear…

Anyway, if you want to reproduce this masterpiece, here’s how.

First, poach 4 pears (peeled, cored, stalks on) in 100ml white wine, 1tbsp demerara sugar and ½ vanilla pod (seeds scraped in the liquid, pod too). Cook gently for 10min or so and let cool in its juices.

Now for the batter: cream 110g softened unsalted butter together with 100g caster sugar. Add 2 room-temperature eggs (one at a time) and continue beating. Finally, add 110g self-raising flour and 2tbsp cocoa powder. Mix well and spoon the batter into a lined, deep 20cm Ø loose-bottomed tin. Pat the pears dry with kitchen tissue and press them into the mixture.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°/gas 4 for 35–45min. When cooked (check with a toothpick), let cool before decorating with a sprinkle of icing sugar for serving.

Pears and chocolate: what could be more divine? No wonder Fidget is playing the deity card!