Madeleines

Listen macaron, you've had your day in the sun. With your loud colours and buttercream filling, it's time for the unappreciated Madeleine to take a stand in the spotlight.

Delicate and airy, the mini sponge cake treat hails from Commercy, France and is baked in a traditional shell-shaped baking pan.

It's a cinch to make so I can't understand why it's not served at every patisserie and smart bakery, or even on restaurant menus, made-to-order. From start to finish the recipe took an hour to make. The batter can be made ahead, baked to order. You can add to the basic recipe with lemon or orange zest, and since today is Valentine's Day, I added the chopped up zest of a blood orange.

You can gild the lilly by serving them with creme chantilly and a luscious preserve - blood red cherry seemed to do the trick here. Add strong cups of coffee or, as my friend TFA suggests, glasses of port.


TFA's Madeleines au Miel

Makes 12 or so

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2 eggs

75 gram white sugar

10 gram dark sugar

Pinch salt

90 gram flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Vanilla essence

90 gram melted butter, cooled

10 gram clear honey

Whisk eggs, sugar and salt. Sift flour and baking powder. Fold into the egg and sugar mixture. Add vanilla and optional citrus zest.

Pour in the honey and butter and fold gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into each shell shape.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully. Let cool slightly before removing each from their shell-shaped confines.

Serve with creme chantilly (whipped cream sweetened with icing sugar and vanilla), blackcurrent jelly and Port.