Ingredients

• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 100g/3½oz gooseberries
• trimmed
• 120g/4oz ground almonds
• 75g/2½oz plain flour
• 150g/5½oz icing sugar
• 6 free-range egg whites
• lightly beaten
• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• melted
• plus extra for greasing
• 2 tbsp elderflower cordial
• icing sugar
• to dust

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Brush a bun or muffin tin with melted butter.
• Place the caster sugar with two tablespoons of water into a small saucepan and heat
• stirring
• until the sugar has dissolved. Add the gooseberries and simmer in the syrup for five minutes until soft
• stirring occasionally
• but be careful not to break them up too much.
• In a large mixing bowl
• combine the almonds and flour then sift in the icing sugar.
• Stir in the egg whites until just combined
• then stir in the melted butter and the elderflower cordial.
• Transfer the batter in spoonfuls to the muffin tin. Place 3-4 stewed gooseberries into the centre of each cake.
• Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes
• or until the cakes feel springy to touch and begin to pull away from the edges of the tin.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for five minutes
• then transfer carefully to a wire rack. These are best eaten warm with a dollop of cream.