Julie Le Clerc: Lime sugar madeleines

Picture / Carolyn Robertson

Makes 12

1/4 cup (35g) blanched almonds
1 cup icing sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
50g butter, melted

For sugar crust, mix together:

3 limes, zested and juiced
1/3 cup granulated sugar

1. Combine almonds and icing sugar in a food processor and grind until very fine. Remove to a bowl. Add egg, egg white, lime zest and juice and whisk to combine. Stir in sifted flour and melted butter to form a batter, which will be quite runny.

2. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours for mixture to firm.

3. When ready to cook madeleines, preheat oven to 190C. Spray 12-hole madeleine shell pan with oil and place 1 tablespoonful of mixture into each (or use patty pans if you don't have shell-shaped pans.) Bake for 10-15 minutes or until puffed in the centre, firm and golden.

4. Remove to a wire rack and immediately drizzle with sugar crust mixture. Last 2-3 days stored in an airtight container.

* More of Julie Le Clerc's recipes are available in viva, part of your Herald print edition every Wednesday.