MADELEINES

A friend popping in for a coffee is all the excuse I need to switch on the oven, pull out a recipe and set to baking something tasty to enjoy over our coffee.

This opportunity arose last week when a neighbour was looking for a place to hide as the decorators had invaded her home. My door is always open for just such an occasion. I pulled a recipe for Madeleines from my file, and then began to wonder where I had put the baking tin when I moved..... All the stuff I use regularly was easy, things I don't use everyday, a bit more difficult to trace. However, with a bit of thinking and logic I soon found it, and I was ready to go.

I love to bake Madeleines, they look so professional, they take only 10 minutes in the oven, and everyone loves them. Today I was going to make lemon ones but the flavours are easily changed, and a favourite of mine is rose flavoured. Of course chocolate ones always go down well.

All the ingredients weighed and ready, a bit of mixing and before I know it the wonderful smell of baking was filling the kitchen. This in itself makes me reach for the kettle. Preparing for the moment when I can bite into my efforts and hopefully be happy with the result.

Eventually they were ready, I did a quality test before my neighbour arrived. Thumbs up. Now all that was left to do was make the coffee and sit down and enjoy an afternoon chatting with a friend. As the rain was pouring down outside I couldn't think of a nicer way to pass a few hours.

One comment I would like to make about baking Madeleines is that this is the one case when the right baking tin is important. Without it you cannot achieve the nice shape of the Madeleine. But then I am probably preaching to the converted.



A 12 hole Madeleine tin is needed for this recipe.

90g (3 1/4oz) unsalted butter, plus 2tbsp melted for greasing tin.
90G (3 1/4oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2tsp clear honey
40G (1 1/2oz) icing sugar, plus extra for dusting.
1tsp baking powder
2 eggs
grated zest of large lemon.

Preheat oven to 180c (350f) and brush tins with melted butter and dust with extra flour.
Melt hone and butter in small pan. Leave to cool.
Sift flour, icing sugar and baking powder together. Stir in cooled butter,add eggs and mix carefully. Do not over mix. Finally fold in lemon zest and spoon into tins.

Put into oven for 10 minutes or until golden and risen. leave in tins for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. Finally dust with icing sugar.

Enjoy!