Madeleines

No trip to Melbourne is complete without a visit to Cumulus Inc in Flinders Lane to eat their warm Madeleines with lemon curd, but if you can’t get there this recipe is the next best thing. Enjoy these little French classics still warm from the oven.

Madeleines

3	Large eggs (Main)
1 ¼ cups	Plain flour
½ cup	Caster sugar, plus one tablespoon (Main)
1 tsp	Baking powder
1 pinch	Salt
125 g	Butter, melted and cooled
1 small	Lemon, zest only (Main)

Prepare the Madeleine moulds

¼ cup	Melted butter
1 small handful	Flour, for dusting

To finish

1 sprinkle

Matcha (green tea) powder, or icing sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Brush each mould with melted butter then dust with flour, tapping to remove excess flour. Place moulds in the fridge.
2. Beat the eggs and sugar together until thick and creamy. Sieve the flour and baking powder over the mixture. Mix the butter and lemon zest together and slowly drizzle in, and at the same time gently folding in with a spatula. Fold until the flour and butter are just incorporated.
3. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for an hour.
4. When ready to bake the Madeleines, heat the oven to 210C.
5. Spoon enough mixture into prepared moulds to fill them by ¾'s – don't be tempted to spread them or overfill.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes until just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave for 1-2 minutes before removing. Dust with a little match powder or icing sugar before serving.

Other serving suggestions: whipped cream and lemon curd, strawberries or raspberries.

Secrets to a good Madeleine:

• A hot oven and well-buttered and floured Madeleine moulds.
• Have your eggs at room temperature.
• Take care folding in the flour and butter – using a figure-of-eight motion, cut and turn the flour and butter through. Try not to overwork as this makes the Madeleines a little tough once cooked.