Madeleines

Bought a new "toy" over the weekend - madeleine baking tray. Love the seashell shapes and the other factor is to bake something that is cake-like yet crispy and thin. Something DH likes.

Seems that the history of madeleines date back to the 18th century in the French town of Commercy, in the region of Lorraine. A girl name Madeleine made them for Stanislaw Lezczynski, Duke of Lorraine, who loved them so much that he then gave some to his daughter, Marie, the wife of Louis XV. Their popularity grew from that point on and until today. We see them here in SG at the Delifrance outlets.

Receipe
200g cake flour
165g castor sugar
4 small eggs
200g butter (melted)
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp baking powder

Beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Combine flour and baking powder. Add the flour combination into the egg mixture. Add orange zest and butter and give it a quick stir. Scoop into greased mould (I put until about 80% full). Send it into a preheated 180C oven for about 15 minutes or until brown.

The aroma of butter plus citrus filled the kitchen when it was baking - wonderful!

The madeleines came out of the mould in perfect shape. It tasted really lovely piping hot, crispy and soft. Even more delicious when partnered with tea or coffee. When cool and on its own, I though it was slightly dry.