Something French for the weekend

These fancy little French cakes are a great alternative to the much-featured, yet still much-loved, weekend treat: pancakes. I’m a bit of a cooking geek so, obvs, I’ve got them, but don’t worry if you don’t have the classic shell-shaped trays to cook you Madeleines in. You can always use a little cupcake mould or even some clean scallop shells if you have them.

I like to use this recipe at home because it really is easy to follow, even before that first, for me at least completely essential coffee of the day. You can add some extra poppy seeds, or even brown your butter a little if that’s your thing, but I really like the simplicity of buttery cakes flavoured with lemon zest and a little vanilla.

Recipe

3 eggs(med)

130g golden caster sugar

130g flour

130g salted butter

1 lemon zested

½ vanilla pod

-Melt the butter and set to one side to cool until it’s a little above blood temp.

-Whisk your whole eggs with caster sugar, lemon zest and the vanilla seeds until light and fluffy. This is about 5 mins of vigorous whisking.

-Sift the flour and gently fold into the egg mixture, then fold in the melted butter.

-I like to pop this into a piping bag and refrigerate for 20 mins or so, but you can use it straight away if you just can’t wait.

-Prep your moulds by brushing them with a thin layer of butter and a dusting of flour.

-Fill your moulds up about 2/3 full.

-Bake in the bottom left oven of a preheated, yet completely unpredictable, old Aga. Or at 175c for approximately 10-12 mins, or until a light golden brown with a slightly raised centre.

Serve still hot as a surprise to the one you love in bed with a strong filter coffee, or to an impatient child. Mine like to dip them in yoghurt.

This recipe will make about 20 or so madeleines and will last overnight, raw in the refrigerator, to be baked the next day just fine, if you want to get ahead of the game!

Happy cooking and much bank holiday love.

Jolene

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The Jolene Oven glove is now available in our shop, perfect for handling a hot baking tray.