WHAT YOU NEED

275g fresh (or frozen and thawed) native cherries
480g fresh (or frozen and thawed) cherries
200g riberries or lilly pillies
2 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra to taste
6 strawberry gum leaves or 1 tsp powder
80g tapioca (sago)
400g packet ladyfinger or savoiardi biscuits, or ½ bought sponge cake
250–375ml Økar amaro (or other amaro)
Edible flowers, to serve

Wattleseed Custard
350ml milk
3 free-range eggs
30g cornflour
75g firmly packed brown sugar
1–2 tsp wattleseed extract (see below)

Cherry Cream
160ml pure cream
1 tbsp pure icing sugar
½ tsp cherry or almond essence

Wattleseed Extract
1 tbsp ground wattleseed
60ml boiling water

Substitution options
Native cherries: cherries
Riberries or lilly pillies: blueberries
Wattleseed extract: ground coffee or vanilla extract

For wattleseed custard, whisk milk, eggs, and cornflour together in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Whisk constantly for 5mins, or until thick. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar and wattleseed extract until dissolved. Transfer to a small bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set.

Put cherries, riberries, sugar, and strawberry gum leaves in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 2–3cm. Place over low–medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, continuing to stir, for about 2mins or until cherries are soft. Remove from heat and remove strawberry gum leaves.

Cook tapioca using the instructions on the packet and rinse under cold water to remove starch.

For cherry cream, whip cream, and icing sugar with an electric hand mixer until almost thick. Slowly drizzle in cherry essence and continue to whip until thick enough to hold the mixer up without it falling off.

To serve, arrange biscuits or sponge in the bottom of a large glass serving bowl. Pour Økar over to your preferred level of sogginess. Spoon most of the fruit on top, then pour in wattleseed custard. Spoon tapioca on top, then a layer of cherry cream. Decorate with remaining fruit, and garnish with edible flowers.
For wattleseed extract

Add wattleseed to a small coffee plunger and pour in boiling water. Leave for 2mins to steep, then plunge as normal. (Alternatively, brew it in a tea infuser.)