Madeleine

I’m really enjoying BBC2’s revival of the ‘Food and Drink’ show.  I know it’s been criticised for being cosy and twee but I don’t mind a bit of cosy and twee, and I’m always willing to listen to any cookery advice Michel Roux Jr wishes to offer!

As soon as Michel started making French Madeleine I sat back and waited for Mr CC to suggest that I should make them.  It didn’t take long.  Mr CC has a food vocabulary only rivalled by the CCD (Caked Crusader’s Da) for making a compliment sound like an insult.  Hence, when he said I should make these as they would have more crust, and the crust was always his favourite bit of any sponge I made, I didn’t take offence.

I didn’t anticipate how buttery these little cakes would be – they are utter indulgence!  The golden sponge bakes quickly and acquires a thin crispness around the edge of the shell shape that adds to the texture.  I was very proud to get the little bump in baking (Michel called them a nipple but that’s a little too French for me, so I’ve opted for bump!)

This could be a ‘oh, just me then’ moment but you know sometimes you bake something...and it’s cooling on the rack...and you try it...then another one...and you find yourself thinking, “I hope everyone gets here soon or there’ll be none left”?  This is one of those bakes!

The hardship of this recipe is that the cakes are best eaten within an hour of baking, or at least the same day.  I thought Michel Roux Jr was perhaps being a little cheffy and precious about the ‘eat within an hour’ bit but it is actually true – when they’ve fully cooled they lose their crisp shell/soft sponge contrast.  I had a couple left and they were still nice the next day – just not as fluffy and light.

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, melted and left to cool
 2 eggs
100g caster sugar
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract – OR – juice and zest of a lemon
¾ teaspoon baking powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/gas mark 6.

Grease two Madeleine pans (the recipe will make between 12 and 16 depending on the size of your tins) – I used a baking spray, but the traditional method would be to brush them with melted butter, then tip in some flour and coat, tipping out any excess.

Melt the butter and leave to cool a little.

Whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and frothy.

Whisk in the flour, vanilla (or lemon), baking powder and butter.

Leave the mix to stand for 20 minutes.  Don’t be tempted to skip this stage as the batter changed; it firmed up and became thicker.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tins taking care not to overfill.  I found a heaped tablespoon of batter was plenty for each mould.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until risen and golden.

Lift out of the tin and transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Best eaten on the day of baking - ideally within an hour of coming out the oven.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.