Candied lemon polenta cakes

We’ve made these gluten-free cakes in a silicone brioche tray, but they’d work well baked in muffin tins, too.

SERVES 6 PREP 20min COOK 35min

• 75g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

• 100g (3½oz) golden caster sugar

• 2 medium eggs

• 75g (3oz) ground almonds

• 50g (2oz) polenta

• ½tsp gluten-free baking powder

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

FOR THE TOPPING

• 1 lemon

• 25g (1oz) caster sugar, plus 2tbsp

• 6tbsp crème fraîche or soured cream YOU WILL NEED A six-hole brioche mould or muffin tin, greased

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4.

2 Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy, then beat in eggs, ground almonds, polenta and baking powder. Stir in lemon zest and juice.

3 Pour mixture into the prepared moulds – it will almost fill to the top of each mould. Bake for 20min, or until just firm in the centre.

4 While the cakes are baking, make the candied lemon zest. Pare the lemon rind with a potato peeler and cut into fine shreds. Place in a pan with 2tbsp water and the caster sugar, and boil for 2min. Drain and pat dry on kitchen paper. When the cakes come out of the oven, turn down oven to 100°C (80°C fan) mark ¼. Place the candied peel on a small baking tray. Sprinkle with 2tbsp caster sugar, toss together and bake for 15min until the peel has dried a little. The peel will continue to harden as it cools.

5 Top cakes with an equal amount of crème fraîche or soured cream, and add a little candied lemon zest to finish.

Cook’s tip Use unwaxed lemons for this recipe. Remove the wax by scrubbing the skins thoroughly, if necessary.