Dipped lemon madeleines

MAKES 24 FOR THE MADELEINES

130g unsalted butter, plus extra

for greasing

3 eggs

160g caster sugar, plus extra

for rolling (optional)

Grated zest of 1 lemon

140g plain flour, plus extra

for dusting

1tsp baking powder

1tbsp vegetable oil

FOR THE ICING

50g soft berries, such as

raspberries or blackberries Juice of 1 lemon

100g icing sugar

Small handful of freeze-dried

berries, crushed

YOU’LL ALSO NEED

12-hole madeleine tin

1 Melt the butter gently in a small pan, then leave to cool. Put the eggs, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk for about 5min on high speed, until the eggs are light and fluffy – or a good 10min if beating by hand.

2 Into a bowl, sift the flour and baking powder, then sift again into the bowl of your mixer. Pour in the melted butter and vegetable oil and gently fold together until smooth.

3 Cover the bowl with clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least 1hr. Meanwhile, grease the madeleine tin with butter and dust with flour.

4 Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas 6–7. Spoon a little batter into each mould, filling roughly halfway, and bake in the middle of the oven for about 8min, until golden and risen.

5 Remove from the oven and either roll in caster sugar while still warm, or leave to cool on a wire rack. Regrease and flour the madeleine tin and repeat the baking process until all of the batter has been used.

6 For the icing, blitz the soft berries in a food processor, then sieve out any pips, retaining the juice. Add a few drops of lemon juice. Place the icing sugar in a bowl and mix in the berry juice a little at a time until you have a thick, dippable icing.

7 Dip a corner of each madeleine into the fruity icing, then sprinkle with some crushed freeze-dried berries. Eat straightaway or leave to set, if preferred.