Serves: 4-6
Dainty madeleines are the classic bite-sized French cake. Light as a feather, they’re made with brown butter and a mix of raw cane and Demerera sugar, which gives them a sweet caramelised texture. Serves warm from the oven with a warm chocolate sauce for dipping, they make an indulgent breakfast or after dinner treat.
Ingredients
- 100g unsalted butter
- 2 medium eggs
- 75g raw cane sugar
- 25g Demerara sugar
- 1 level tsp baking powder
- 100g plain flour
- 200ml double cream
- 100g dark chocolate
Directions
1Pop 100g butter into a small pan and warm to a medium heat. Melt the butter for about 5 mins, swirling the pan occasionally, till the butter turns a light brown colour. Pour the butter into a small heatproof bowl and set aside to cool.
2Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and tip in 75g raw cane sugar and 25g Demerara sugar. Beat the eggs and sugars together till they’re light and fluffy. Add the cooled, melted butter, 1 level tsp baking powder and 100g plain flour. Stir everything together till just incorporated. Cover the bowl and pop into the fridge to chill. Place your madeleine tin (greased if not non-stick), into the fridge too. Chill the batter and tin for 1 hr.
3Warm your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Spoon 1 tbsp of the batter into each mould in the tin. Slide the filled madeleine tin into the hot oven and bake for 8-10 mins, till the madeleines are well risen and golden. Remove the cooked madeleines from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 1 min, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Set aside while you make the chocolate sauce.
4To make the chocolate sauce, pour 200ml double cream into a small, clean pan and gently bring till its just starting to boil. Meanwhile, break the chocolate buttons into a heatproof bowl. When the cream is boiling, pour it into the chocolate and stir till a smooth chocolate sauce is formed.
5Serve the warm madeleines with the chocolate sauce on the side for dipping. These are best eaten on the day they are made, preferably still warm from the oven.
