Recipe: Honey & vanilla madeleines

Baby C ran into the kitchen excitedly and said to me, "Mummy, you have been baking something nice for us while we were out at music class, haven't you?" Indeed I have, and also trying out my new KitchenAid for the first time :) Hubby got me a gorgeous red one for my birthday last year.

In the UK, many Michelin-starred restaurants (like this) would serve freshly baked madeleines post-dessert as petit fours. I have such fond memories of them, such as how enticing they smell when they arrive at our dinner table. I found madeleine tins in Daiso so I made these for my family as an afternoon treat. 

Freshly baked madeleines

My new KitchenAid *love*

Madeleines are small French sponge cakes with a distinctive shell-like shape acquired from being baked in pans with shell-shaped depressions. What I really like about them is their crisp edges while still being soft and moist on the inside. I made 15 of them, and they were all gone in under 15 minutes!

They remind me of seashells by the seashore

A treat after their music class ;)

Honey & vanilla madeleines
Recipe from BBC Good Food - Mary Cadogan
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 12-15 minutes
Makes 15

Ingredients
100g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
100g caster sugar
100g butter, melted
1 whole egg , separated, plus 1 egg white
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing sugar , for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.

2. Butter 3 no. 5-hole madeleine tins using a tiny amount of the melted butter with a small brush and dust lightly with flour.

3. Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl. Put the butter, egg yolk, honey and vanilla into a separate bowl and whisk with a fork to mix. 

4. Whisk the two egg whites until stiff peaks using an electric mixer (or by hand if you wish).

5. Fold the butter mixture into the dry ingredients until evenly mixed, then fold in the egg whites in two batches using the whisk.

6. Divide between the prepared moulds and bake for 12- 15 mins until golden brown and firm to the touch. Do not open the oven door while baking. Leave to cool in the moulds for a few mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Best served warm with coffee/tea.