Helen Goh’s recipe for gooseberry and almond pies

Gooseberries need a little patience: firm, pale and stubbornly sour, they brighten when paired with something warm and soft. Almond cream cushions their sharpness without dulling it, and baked in muffin tins these small pies feel informal yet generous. All the components can be made up to three days ahead and assembled just before baking.

For the pastry, pulse plain flour, icing sugar, salt and lemon zest with cold butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 30g of lightly whisked egg and two teaspoons of cold water, pulse until just coming together, shape into a disc and chill for about an hour (or up to three days).

Roll to 2–3mm, cut 10–11cm rounds, ease into a buttered and floured 12-hole muffin tin and chill for about an hour before blind baking with liners and weights at 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for 25–30 minutes.

gooseberries, almond cream, pastry, muffin tins, blind baking, lemon zest, icing sugar, plain flour, cold butter, egg