Karen Martini

Almond frangipane with poached quinces and chocolate honey sauce

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 rounds (10cm wide) of the best quality puff pastry you can purchase
6 quinces, poached to ruby red in sugar syrup and vanilla, cored and sliced
150g castor sugar
3 eggs
170g butter
200ml cream
clotted cream to serve
120g honey
200g ground almonds
400g dark chocolate
50g cocoa
150ml water
15ml Poire William liqueur
1/2 dessert spoon almond essence 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method

For frangipane, cream 120g softened butter and sugar together in a mixer using the whisk until pale and light.

Add 2 eggs, one by one, then add ground almonds, almond essence and Poire William.

Store in an odourless container.

To make the chocolate sauce, place chocolate, cream and honey over a very low flame to melt.

Whisk cocoa powder into water and add to the chocolate.

Stir constantly until melted and almost boiling.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining butter in pieces.

Beat remaining egg and carefully egg wash rounds of puff pastry.

Place a spoonful of frangipane paste in the middle, top with poached quince slices and bake in a very hot oven (400 degrees) for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and dust with icing sugar.

Serve with hot chocolate honey sauce and clotted cream.