BROWN BUTTER ALMOND CAKES WITH STRAWBERRIES THREE WAYS

Preparation time 20 mins plus 30 mins cooling Cooking time 30 mins Makes 12 175g unsalted buer, chopped / cup caster sugar, plus extra 1 cup 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 1 tsp almond essence 45g plain flour 140g almond meal 4 free-range egg whites Large pinch sea-salt flakes 4 x 250g punnets strawberries, hulled Pure icing sugar, to dust 200g sour cream

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Grease and lightly flour a 12-hole ( /ž-cup capacity) muffin pan. Cook buƒer in a saucepan on medium heat for 5 minutes, swirling occasionally, until buƒer foams, turns light golden and smells slightly nuƒy. Remove from heat and put base of pan in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Cool.

STEP 2 Put cooled buƒer, sugar, vanilla, essence, flour, almond meal, egg whites and salt in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Dollop in pan holes. Press a strawberry in centre of each, pointed side down, and bake for 20-22 minutes, until golden and firm to touch. Turn out onto a wire rack to completely cool.

STEP 3 Meanwhile, roughly chop 1 punnet strawberries. Heat extra sugar in a pan on low, until melted. Increase to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes, until lightly caramelised. Remove from heat, add berries and 2 Tbsp water (mixture may spluƒer). Return to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Put a fine sieve over a bowl and strain mix, discarding berries. Cool for 30 minutes. Dice 1 more punnet; stir into cooled syrup.

STEP 4 Dust cakes with icing sugar, dollop with sour cream, decorate with remaining berries, sliced, and pour over syrup. Serve.