Raspberry Friands, from my table to yours.

We made friands on Sunday. It rained all day, there was nowhere in particular to be, and there is an Alison and Simon Holst baking book on the shelf that falls open at the same page every time, which tells you what this home really enjoys.

They came out golden at the edges and pale in the middle, and the raspberries sink into the middle.

Two things worth knowing

Spray the tins like you mean it. Friands stick. Number four came out in two pieces and was eaten immediately, over the sink, in the interests of quality control.

Icing sugar only once they're cool. Dust a warm friand and it dissolves straight into it. Let them cool properly, then dust just before they go on the plate.

What raining afternoons call for, a warm cup of tea and some fresh baking. The gorgeous plate featured is Denby, we love our Denby in this family, gathered over the years. The mug is one of my creations, it came out of the kiln during one of my last firings and I had to test out its feel before it was added to the shop, and I must say I am very pleased with it.

The recipe

From a baking book by Alison and Simon Holst, which has earned its butter stains. Makes 12.

• 100g butter, melted
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ cup milk
• 3 eggs
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup self-raising flour
• 12–24 raspberries, fresh or frozen

Heat the oven to 180°C (190°C fanbake), rack just below the middle. Spray twelve friand or muffin tins thoroughly.

Melt the butter in a medium bowl, then stir in the almonds, sugar, vanilla and milk until well combined. Separate the eggs, yolks into the almond mixture, whites into a large, scrupulously clean bowl. Add the salt to the whites and beat to stiff peaks.

Sprinkle the flour over the whites, pour the almond mixture in after it, and fold gently, only until it comes together. Divide between the tins, set one or two raspberries on each, and bake 12–15 minutes, until golden and springy in the centre.

Cool in the tins for three to five minutes before turning out onto a rack.

Blueberries work, and halved strawberries, and, I suspect, though I haven't tried it, the boysenberries that take over the fence in February.

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Next month the garden starts making demands again. Until then, the kettle's on.