Makes 8

A cross between a cherry Bakewell slice and a delicate almond financier, these are so good you may want to bake an extra batch. I’ll let you off for using bought pastry in this recipe, but do try to find all-butter shortcrust pastry if you do.

150g lightly salted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g caster sugar
150g finely ground almonds
2 tbsp plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten, plus extra for brushing
300g shortcrust pastry
2-3 tbsp raspberry jam
1-2 tbsp flaked almonds
4 glacé cherries, halved
Icing sugar, for dusting

1 Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a low heat, then raise the heat and cook until the butter is a mid-brown colour and smells biscuity. Remove from the heat immediately and leave to stand for a few minutes. Carefully pour the golden oil into a bowl, leaving the milk solids behind. Cool the fat to room temperature while still runny.

2 Mix the sugar, ground almonds and flour together in a bowl. Beat in the melted and cooled butter and the egg whites. Cover the bowl and leave to rest for 1-2 hours.

3 Lightly grease and line the base and sides of eight mini loaf tins or financier moulds, about 5 x 10cm. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 2mm thickness, then cut out eight rectangles to fit the moulds. Press each pastry rectangle into the bottom of each mould and prick with a fork. Put the tins or moulds on a baking sheet, then chill the pastry for 20-30 minutes.

4 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the pastry bases for 8-10 minutes until pale golden. Brush the pastry with a little egg white, then bake for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

5 Brush the pastry bases with a layer of jam. Carefully spoon the financier batter over the jam and smooth the surface. Scatter with the almonds and place a glacé cherry half on top. Bake for 20 minutes until the financiers have turned golden. Cool slightly in the moulds, then turn out on to a wire rack while still warm. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

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