Frangipane apple roses.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 12 X cup muffin tray.
2. For frangipane: Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add egg and beat until well combined.
3. Toss in almonds and flour and mix to combine. Stir through the almond essence and vanilla. Set aside.
4. Halve apples and remove core. Slice horizontally into 1mm thick slices.
5. Steam apples briefly in a colander over boiling water so they become more pliable, or microwave in a glass bowl covered with cling wrap. Cool.
6. Cut each pastry square into 5 strips (roughly 5/20cm).
7. Spread a thin layer of frangipane over each strip.
8. Lay apple slices along one long edge of strip, overlapping them as you go (rounded edges of apples should just hang over pastry’s edge).
9. Starting from the bottom carefully roll-up strip to form a rose.
10. Place roses in the muffin tray. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until pastry is golden and cooked through.
11. Cool on a rack and serve scattered with a light dusting of castor sugar.

Cook’s tip:

• Use a melon baller or round measuring spoon to neatly scoop out the core of an apple or pear.