The madeline, a petite french cake, originated in the Lorraine region of northeastern France. I love french pastry. Madelines, macarons, the secret to such delights is more alchemy than chemistry.
Deceptively simple in texture and shape, it took me a while to get these right. The key ingredient: honey. Don't scoff. I certainly did, initially at least.
Honey as an ingredient evokes those infamous Upson daiquiris from Auntie Mame, a vile concoction only a passel of babbity, bourgeois, bigots would consider imbibing.
In this case however, honey enhances the citrus in the cake and imbues it with a sublime sticky sweetness. I'm in love!
Madelines
(recipe from Rachel Khoo's "Little Paris Kitchen")
3/4 cup sugar
3 whole eggs
1 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
zest of 1/2 lemon
4 teaspoons honey
4 tablespoons whole milk
confectioners sugar for dusting
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 5 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
Whisk the butter, sugar and eggs until pale and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Fold the flour into the butter mixture, then add the honey, lemon zest and milk.
Whisk until smooth.
Add the batter to your tin and drop a ripe raspberry in the center
Bake for 5 minutes at 375′ then turn the oven off for 1 minute, turn the oven back on at 325′ and cook an additional 5 minutes.
