Lemon Madeleines

Image by Murrundie Frew for ITP Publishing

It's a beautiful Sunday morning here in Dubai, especially because I get to spend it with my Mom who arrived from Beirut a few days ago :) I have loads of work to do, but I've missed her so much that all I want to do is sit and chat with her for hours.. And that's just what I'm going to do as everything else can wait! I'm spending most of my mornings at home lately and been on a baking streak for some kind of reason.. 

So today I woke up and made my Lemon Madeleines which are perfect for morning coffee with Mami and actually made me reminisce about growing up in Paris.. Yummy, the scent of French bakeries, Boulangerie's, is something that is engraved in my soul! Walking into the Boulangerie by our house and choosing amongst Baguettes, Croissants, Pain au Chocolats, Chausson aux Pommes and buttery Madeleines to bring back home and enjoy for breakfast with the family is one of the fondest memories I have of growing up :)

Easy. Prep & cook time: 25 minutes

Serves 4 – 6

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup white sugar
• zest of one lemon
• 5 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp almond meal
• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ tsp vanilla essence
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ baking powder
• 2 tbsp honey
• pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a Madeleine baking pan with some butter. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder and set aside. With an electric mixer, mix eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the lemon zest and half the butter, combining well.

Fold in the almond meal and flour mixture gently, then finish by adding the honey and remaining butter.

Bake in preheated 180C oven for 8 – 10 minutes until golden. Dust with some icing sugar before serving. Delicious!

(As featured in Harper's Bazaar Arabia September 2011)