Bun Tin Madeleines

My pot and pan cupboard is stuffed full of different sized baking tins, cookie sheets, cutting boards, pots, lids and strainers.  It won't hold another thing. That doesn't mean I don't want more baking equipment.  I'd love to have a special pan to make those lovely little French, shell-like cakes called Madeleines.  

Back in the deepest, darkest recesses of the cupboard I found a bun tin! I'd forgotten I even had that.   It was purchased for making small mince pies at Christmas time.  It would be a shame to only use it once a year. 

Bun tin... Madeleine tin... hmmm.... you can guess what happened next.  I made Bun Tin Madeleines!   Here's the recipe and how I did it.  


Preheat the oven to 190C then grease and flour a 12 hole bun tin before preparing the batter.

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
125 grams icing sugar
100 grams plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
125 grams butter, melted and cooled

Place the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla into a mixing bowl.  Beat for about five minutes at high speed then gradually add the icing sugar.  Beat for about five minutes more, until the mixture is very smooth. 

Sift the flour and baking powder together.  Fold in 1/4 of the flour/baking powder mixture.  Fold in the remaining flour adding only a quarter at a time. Finally, very gently fold in the melted butter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared bun tin and bake for 10-15 minutes.  The cakes should be lightly browned at the edges and spring back when you gently touch the tops.

Let the Madeleines cool in the tin for a few minutes.  Then run a knife around the edge of each cake and remove them from the tin.  Place the Madeleines on a wire rack to cool completely.

Eat them as they are or dust a bit of icing sugar over the Madeleines just before serving.  Be sure to store any left over cakes in an airtight container.

Just thinking, there must be a way to fit a Madeleine tin in that cupboard somehow!