A few weeks ago I was really excited to get my copy of Jo Wheatley’s latest book “Home Baking”.  It has become another book I am determined to bake lots out of.  This book, however isn’t any old baking book and although there are traditional favourites, there are also some modern twists and different flavour combinations.  Some of which I would never have thought of using.

A couple of years ago I bought a madeleine tin in Lakeland. It was one of those Buy One, Get One Half Price offers and I had gone in to buy another cupcake tin.  There were lots of different tins included in the offer but the unusual shell pattern of the madeleine tin caught my eye.  I had seen packets of madeleines in supermarkets and boulangeries on holiday in France but I had never actually tried any, let alone baked them!  I had to give them a try as I keep seeing them in lots of different recipe books.

Jo’s book has a recipe for Honey Madeleines based on some that she tasted in a restaurant in New York.  She described them as “warm, soft and buttery with a dust of icing sugar” and they stuck in her mind.  My mind was made up, I had to try them!

Last Saturday afternoon I was in an experimenting mood.  I had not baked for nearly a week due to the sickness bug that floored my two children (miraculously escaping my hubby) and I missed my baking fix.  I had some Welsh honey left over from my holiday at half term and thought it would be perfect in the madeleines.

So, I set to.  First of all I sifted self raising flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.  In another bowl I whisked eggs, sugar and half the honey.  Meanwhile I had melted butter and let it cool down.  After it had cooled, the dry ingredients were combined and whisked together.

Now, as I was being distracted, I ended up not reading some of the instructions. Jo suggests pouring the batter into a piping bag and piping the mixture in the madeleine tins until they are two thirds full.  I had been careful to grease the tins carefully with Cake Release but I ignored the piping bag advice and spooned the mixture into the 12 shells using two teaspoons like you do when you are filling cupcake cases!  No wonder I made a right mess! Also, I spooned far too much mixture in so when the madeleines were baked they puffed up and rose well out of the tin!

I was careful to watch the timer though as they only needed 5 minutes baking time, a quick tray turnaround and then another five minutes to finish them off.  They came out of the oven in record time and had overflowed but looked ok.  Once I had freed them from the tin after about 1/4 hour I brushed them with the remaining honey and dusted them with icing sugar.

I took a bite out of one and gave the rest to my son as I am TRYING to lose weight.  You could taste the honey flavour and they tasted very sweet, yet light and airy.  My son loved them and promptly took another.  I went off upstairs to put some laundry away only to find two more missing off the wire rack!  I had to put them away before the rest went.  So, all in all I think I will definitely make madeleines again but I would love to try different flavours.

Happy Baking!

Love Sam xx