Lemon & mint financiers

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Grease a nonstick 12-hole mini loaf tin (or a 12-hole muffin tin) with butter and dust with flour, knocking out the excess. In a small pan, melt the butter over a medium heat and cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams, then subsides and starts to form brown specks in the bottom of the pan. Pour into a bowl, leave to cool slightly, then stir in the shredded mint and lemon zest.

Put the 250g icing sugar, almonds and flour in a bowl and mix well with a fork. Stir in the egg whites and beat with a wooden spoon for 10 seconds. Add the melted butter and beat until you have a smooth batter. Divide the mixture between the tin holes.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. The cakes should be golden brown at the edges. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then ease out of the holes and move to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing, put the 100g icing sugar in a bowl, then gradually add lemon juice until you have a spoonable consistency. Drizzle in a zigzag pattern over the cooled cakes and scatter a few small mint leaves over the top.