Madeleines
Recipe by Trish Deseine from Trish's Mediterranean Kitchen
Madeleines have to be the most iconic of French patisserie and they are very easy to make. Proust famously described a Madeleine as a squat, plump little cake moulded in the fluted valve of a scallop shell. Just a taste of it, dipped into his mother’s tea led him to write a landmark work of French literature. I don’t think I need go that far, but it might be an idea to bake a batch and see what the fuss is about.
Makes about 16
Ingredients
- 500ml whole milk
- 5 large eggs
- 200g sugar
- 200g plain flour, sifted
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- 120g salted butter
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6
- Put the milk, eggs and sugar in a saucepan and heat while whisking vigorously for a few seconds until the custard mixture mousses up. Take it off the heat and cool, whisking constantly. When completely cold, add the flour and baking powder and mix with a wooden spoon. Melt the butter and add little by little. Leave to rest for about 10 minutes. Use a silicone baking mat, or grease the ridges of a Madeleine tin with extra butter using a pastry brush. Fill the moulds not quite to the top and then cook for about 10 minutes, until they are puffed up and golden. Remove from the oven, take them out of the mould immediately and leave to cool. They won’t last long!
