Madeleines

Brown butter and honey madeleines

Shell-shaped French sponges with nutty brown butter and a touch of honey, baked from a well-rested batter to get their signature hump.

Method

1
Cook the butter in a light-coloured pan until it foams, smells nutty and the solids turn hazelnut brown. Stir in the honey and leave to cool until just warm.
2
Whisk the eggs, sugar and lemon zest for 3 minutes until pale and slightly thickened.
3
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and fold gently, then fold in the brown butter, scraping in the toasted solids.
4
Cover the surface and chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

5
Brush a madeleine tin with soft butter, dust with flour, tap out the excess and chill.
6
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) with a baking tray inside.
7
Fill each shell three quarters full. Set the tin on the hot tray and bake for 5 minutes, then lower the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and bake 4 to 5 minutes more, until golden at the edges and domed.
8
Turn out straight away and eat warm.

The hump comes from cold batter meeting a very hot tin, so don't skip the resting or the hot tray.
The batter keeps for 2 days in the fridge, so you can bake a fresh batch to order.

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