Lemon biscuits: a ray of winter sunshine

These easy biscuits — madeleines and shortbread thins — showcase the brightest star of winter fruits.

Oooh, fancy: David Herbert’s madeleines and shortbread thins. Picture: Guy Bailey

These easy treats showcase the brightest star of winter fruits. The madeleines can be baked in a mini muffin tin – or if you want to be fancy, in a traditional tin with scallop-shaped holes. They’re best eaten on the day they are baked.

LEMON ALMOND MADELEINES

80g self-raising flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

40g ground almonds

120g unsalted butter, softened

120g (½ cup) caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Pure icing sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 160C (fan). Grease and flour a 12-hole mini muffin or madeleine tin. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until combined. Place a spoonful of the mixture into each hole (if using a madeleine tin, be careful not to overfill as the mixture will rise during cooking). Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until risen; a madeleine tin may take less cooking time. Allow to cool in the tin and repeat with any remaining mixture. To serve, remove from tins and dust with icing sugar. Makes 12-15

LEMON SHORTBREAD THINS

250g unsalted butter, softened

120g (½ cup) caster sugar

Grated zest of 1 large lemon

½ teaspoon lemon extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

300g (2 cups) plain flour

½ cup rice flour

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 160C (fan). Lightly grease two baking trays and line with baking paper. Place butter and sugar in medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla extract. Add flours and salt and beat to combine. Roll into a log about 4cm diameter, wrap in baking paper and put in the freezer for 20 minutes, or until firm. Using a sharp knife, slice into 4mm-thick slices and transfer to the prepared baking trays. (Alternatively, chill the dough for 30 minutes and then roll out the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 4mm; use a cookie cutter to cut out rounds and transfer to baking trays.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cookies are pale golden, not brown. Let them stand for 2 minutes then remove to a rack and allow to cool completely. The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Makes 36