Easy Madeleines Recipe

Scones, slices…who doesn’t have a soft spot for good old-fashioned treats like nana used to make? 80-year-old Merle Parrish’s gorgeous second cookbook, Merle’s Country Show Baking and Other Favourites, is packed with nostalgic favourites and classic baking recipes, like these easy madeleines. The much-loved MasterChef guest – who has been baking competitively from the age of 7 and is now a CWA judge herself – shares her secrets to baking with confidence without all that intimidating chef speak!

These delicate French butter cakes are lovely to serve as part of a morning or afternoon tea, fresh out of the oven.

From Merle’s Country Show Baking and Other Favourites Copyright © Merle Parrish 2013 Reprinted by Permission of Random House Australia All Rights Reserved RRP $39.95 by Ebury Illustrated. Available now from bookstores and online retailers.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes

Makes: 12

Ingredients

plain flour, to dust tin
1 egg
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
90g butter, melted and cooled
icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Preheat the oven to moderate (180C). Lightly grease a 12-hole madeleine tin (see note) and dust lightly with flour. Shake out the excess.

2. Using electric beaters, beat the egg, caster sugar and vanilla together for 2 minutes, until pale, frothy and increased in volume.

3. Sift the flour and baking powder together and gently fold into the egg mixture. Add the melted butter, and fold to combine.

4. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared tin. Bake for 8 minutes or until puffed and firm to a gentle touch. Stand in the tin for 3 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust lightly with icing sugar to serve.

What’s your favourite old-fashioned baking recipe?