The exquisitely fragrant Indian Alphonso Mango season is cruelly short: April-May. This means that outside of this time period I barely give a second glance at a mango fruit. Go out and find one today (Indian supermarkets, fancy supermarkets) and then you’ll see what I mean. Do not delay, otherwise you will miss another year of these incredible fruits that melt in your mouth, dense and sweet in flavour. I buy them by the box, wrapped like jewels in tissue paper, and eat them every day. Simplest is best of course, but if you want to fancy it up why not serve it with a dollop of clotted cream sprinkled with chopped pistachio and the most delicate of French cakes, the shell-shaped Madeleine. Recipe below.

In an electric mixer whisk together three eggs and 200g sugar till pale and ribbony (this may take a few minutes). With the beater on now add the zest of 1 lemon (or lime), a pinch of salt, 1tsp vanilla and 70ml milk. Sift together 280g flour and 2tsp baking powder and gradually add to the bowl. Gradually add 150g very soft unsalted butter (even slightly melted is fine). Once well mixed together, transfer to a plastic container and leave in the fridge for an hour. Using a couple of spoons half-fill madeleine molds (I like the silicon variety as they do not need to be buttered and floured to make them non-stick). Bake at 180c for between 12-15 minutes (till golden). The dough keeps well in the fridge for a few days (ready for a fix).

Madeleine should be eaten straight from the oven (like risotto, they wait for no one).