Madelines...

These delightful petit fours secs are traditionally baked in shell shaped trays, not owning one of these, I heeded Rachel Khoo's advice and used a shallow muffin tray. I found the 'genoise' batter to be quite different  from anything I had ever baked and was a little baffled as to how that thick, stiff mix could come out a light and plump little cake. But, I held my faith in Julia Childs recipe, crossed my fingers and sat by the oven.... Voila! They had the trademark peaks all perky and proud and beautifully golden in colour. 


For Madelines Version 2.0 try piping a little lemon curd into their centres through the bottom when just out of the oven. A metal nozzle on the piping bag will pierce the madelines easily.  

Ingredients...


A Julia Child recipe
Makes 12 (in muffin tray)

(all at room temperature)

2 eggs (beaten)

2/3 cup cugar

1 cup flour (plus a tsp for dusting)

140g butter (plus extra for greasing)

pinch salt

1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Grated zest of half a lemon
3 drops of lemon juice
* I added a sneaky tsp of baking powder to the flour and sugar.


Lightly grease a shallow muffin tray with butter then dust with flour (refrigerate if kitchen is quite warm).
Combine flour and sugar and 3/4 of the beaten eggs. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon to a heavy cream. If too stiff, add a drop or two of the egg mix. Set aside while you melt your butter in a saucepan until lightly browned. Now, beat remaining egg and cooled butter into the batter. Stir in salt, vanilla, zest and juice. Cover and leave in fridge for at least 1 hour.
Set your oven to 190 C. Spoon one heaped tbsp into each mould.
Bake for about 15 minutes.


Leave to cool in tray for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with a cup of tea.




For a super quick and easy curd, whip this up while you've got the madeline batter in the fridge...


A Rachel Khoo recipe
Ingredients...


Zest and juice of one lemon
pinch salt
40g sugar
45g butter
2 egg yolks (whisked)


Put the zest, juice, salt, sugar and butter into a saucepan and heat gently until sugar and butter have melted. Remove from heat. Add the egg yolks, give it a good whisk. Put back on a low heat and continue whisking until curd turns thick, (don't let boil). Leave in the fridge for at least an hour, but preferably over night. Make sure to seal the curd with cling film touching the surface.




*Thanks to Rachel Khoo for the inspiration. Her BBC show, The Little Paris Kitchen, is worth a watch.