Madeleines for tea

These lovely scented cakes are quick both to make and to cook. There is an element of technique needed as you start by beating the eggs and sugar to the ribbon stage. If you’ve not done this before the term simply indicates a mixture that is whisked until thick, pale and light and one  that leaves a trail or “ribbon” of mouse on the top of the mixture when the whisk is removed.

Obviously this is easiest done using an electric whisk and I prefer my Kitchen Aid free standing mixer as I can wander around the kitchen and get the moulds ready while the machine does the hard work. Madeleines are baked in special moulds that give the cakes their distinctive shell shape but the mixture could be cooked in regular bun tins. The thing to remember is that the moulds or tins must be generously buttered. As you can see I have a silicone mould and two metal ones. If you are offered a choice, chose the silicone: they are a little wobblely going into the oven but the mixture really doesn’t stick and the finished madeleines have a good shape. Serve the warm cakes with camomile tea in an homage to Proust.

Lemon and Cardomom Madeleines (makes about 30)

 

 

Recipe

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5 thoughts on “Madeleines for tea

  1. I made some madeleines myself today but used a muffin tin. They are so good, I will be making them again. I think I will use lemon zest in my next batch. Thought I should let you know that when I searched for your blog via Google, it shows up with what I think must be an old blog address…not WordPress.

  2. We loved these Thane, thanks for encouraging me to make them and putting the recipe here for everyone. , they were just the thing for Borgen watching. I will be making them again. I only have green cardamon pods, do you think there is much of a difference in the aroma? I read somewhere that the black ones have a camphor like aroma and the green ones more citrussy? But as I’ve never had the black ones I wouldn’t know.

    1. I didn’t make myself clear I use the black seeds from the green cardamom pods. I crush the seeds having shucked them as there is less chaff once the pods are discarded.
      Black cardamom is generally considered to have a coarser flavour than the green.
      Cheers and I’m so pleased they were a success:)

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