TEA AND COMPANY

APPLE & ALMOND PITHIVIER WITH WATTLE-SEED CREAM

Serves 4

¾ cup white wine
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1¼ cups caster sugar
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled
125g butter, softened
3 eggs
1¼ cups almond meal
2 teaspoons plain flour
375g sheet frozen ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry, thawed extra 1 egg, whisked

WATTLE-SEED CREAM

250g crème fraîche
1 tablespoon ground wattle seed*

Place wine, cinnamon sticks, cloves, ¾ cup of sugar and 1½ cups water in a saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Simmer for 5 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly. Add apples and simmer for 5–6 minutes or until they begin to soften. Remove from heat. Cover pan and set aside to cool.

Using a slotted spoon, remove apples from syrup. Cut into quarters, then core and cut into 5mm-thick slices.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at