Siucra has teamed up with Gastro Gays, a duo renowned for their creativity in the kitchen when it comes to whipping up tasty treats using seasonal ingredients and household cupboard staples. Check out their scrumptious honey, lemon, and poppy seed madeleines, a perfect afternoon picnic treat.
The iconic shell shape is achieved by buying a madeleine mould, but if you fancy making them without the tin, simply use a muffin tin instead to make some rounded cakes, which will still look and taste amazing.
Makes 12
Ingredients
100g butter, melted
100g plain flour, plus more for dusting
100g Siúcra Caster Sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds (optional )
1 whole free range or organic egg, separated, plus one egg white
1 tbsp honey
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, grated
Method
Preheat oven to 190ºC (170ºC fan ). Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave and leave to cool slightly. Using a pastry brush, coat the madeleine tin (or muffin tin ) with a light brush of butter, then sprinkle some flour over this to lightly coat.
In a mixing bowl, add the flour and sugar as well as the poppy seeds, if using them.
In another bowl, add the egg yolk, honey, and grated lemon zest. Use a fork to mix it all together. Then slowly add in the slightly cooled butter, continuing to whisk it with the fork.
Using a hand whisk, an electric beater, or a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff.
Fold the butter, honey, and lemon mix into the dry ingredient bowl until they are mixed well together. It will become quite pastry-like during this process - that is fine. Then, fold in the egg whites in stages, using a whisk or a spatula, but try to not knock all the air out of them.
Add about 1 tbsp of the mixture into each of the moulds, then bake for about 10 to 12 minutes until they are golden and firm. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack. A light dusting of icing sugar before serving is recommended, but not essential. They are best eaten the day of baking, and store any that are left over in an airtight container.
