I cannot remember the last time I baked a whole cake. At least, I don’t think I have made one since I moved to Belfast. I definitely bake less during summer time and tend to privilege fruit salads, ice creams and sorbets for dessert. But I do like the scent of summer fruit cooking and bubbling in a crumble or clafoutis such as this cherry and dark chocolate one or this version with raspberries and white chocolate.
My fruit bowl on the kitchen counter has seen a serious rotation of raspberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, blueberries and strawberries over the summer. They have been mostly eaten as they are and sometimes added to a weekend smoothie with frozen bananas, almond milk or coconut water. But lately, I found myself wanting to bake a few things. It could be a combination of the weather cooling down and wanting to take advantage of all the wonderful produce before summer fruit season ends.
My fruit bowl on the kitchen counter has seen a serious rotation of raspberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, blueberries and strawberries over the summer. They have been mostly eaten as they are and sometimes added to a weekend smoothie with frozen bananas, almond milk or coconut water. But lately, I found myself wanting to bake a few things. It could be a combination of the weather cooling down and wanting to take advantage of all the wonderful produce before summer fruit season ends.
Since I did not feel like baking an entire cake but rather wanted something small to have with a cup of green tea after lunch or dinner, I decided to use up the fragrant raspberries sitting in the bowl on my kitchen counter and make a batch of delicious madeleines.
I could have made them sweet and simple with just a raspberry pressed into each madeleine but since I like the combination with pistachio, I added some to the batter and also sprinkled a bit on the little cakes before baking.
The smell in the kitchen of the madeleines plus the fruit cooking in them was just wonderful. They can be eaten warm and the few minutes while they cool down on the wire rack are worth the wait. They really are perfect delicate little cakes.
The recipe below has enough ingredients for a batch of 24 madeleines but you could obviously adapt it to make a smaller amount if you do not feel like having so many. But believe me, their deliciousness might require to have that amount! Plus, you do not have to eat them all by yourself. They are easily shareable and would be a great addition to a summer time dinner party or afternoon tea.
I could have made them sweet and simple with just a raspberry pressed into each madeleine but since I like the combination with pistachio, I added some to the batter and also sprinkled a bit on the little cakes before baking.
The smell in the kitchen of the madeleines plus the fruit cooking in them was just wonderful. They can be eaten warm and the few minutes while they cool down on the wire rack are worth the wait. They really are perfect delicate little cakes.
The recipe below has enough ingredients for a batch of 24 madeleines but you could obviously adapt it to make a smaller amount if you do not feel like having so many. But believe me, their deliciousness might require to have that amount! Plus, you do not have to eat them all by yourself. They are easily shareable and would be a great addition to a summer time dinner party or afternoon tea.
***
What are you favourite summer fruit?
And what type of desserts do you like making with them?
***
What are you favourite summer fruit?
And what type of desserts do you like making with them?
***
Raspberry & Pistachio Madeleines Recipe (Vegetarian)
Ingredients (make 24 madeleines)
3 free range eggs
125g caster sugar
165g sifted plain flour (plus extra for dusting the moulds)
7g sifted baking powder
120g butter* (plus extra for greasing the moulds)
2 tablespoons ground pistachios** (plus extra for sprinkling)
1 punnet raspberries (you want to account for one raspberry per madeleine, two if they are really small)
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Let it cool down before adding to the batter.
2. Put the eggs and sugar in a large baking bowl and whisk together until the mixture is frothy and pale. Stir in the sifted flour and baking powder. Then add the melted butter and mix until smooth. Fold in the ground pistachios. Cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes before use.
3. Preheat the oven to 230ºC (210ºC fan). Grease a 12-shell madeleine tin with butter and dust with flour; tap the excess out. Put a tablespoon of batter into each madeleine shell. Press one raspberry per shell into the batter and sprinkle with a little bit of ground pistachios.
4. Place the madeleine tin on the middle shelf of the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 200ºC (180ºC fan). Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down again to 180ºC (160º fan) and bake for another 5 minutes or until the madeleines are puffed and golden-brown.
5. Delicately transfer the madeleines onto a wire rack and repeat the baking for the second batch.
Let the madeleines cool down for a few minutes before eating them warm.
Notes:
* I use salted butter (it is very common to bake cakes with salted butter where I am from in France) but if you prefer to use unsalted, add a small pinch of salt with the eggs and sugar before whisking.
** I made my own by grinding a few handfuls of unsalted shelled pistachios in a food processor.
Bon appétit!
Ingredients (make 24 madeleines)
3 free range eggs
125g caster sugar
165g sifted plain flour (plus extra for dusting the moulds)
7g sifted baking powder
120g butter* (plus extra for greasing the moulds)
2 tablespoons ground pistachios** (plus extra for sprinkling)
1 punnet raspberries (you want to account for one raspberry per madeleine, two if they are really small)
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Let it cool down before adding to the batter.
2. Put the eggs and sugar in a large baking bowl and whisk together until the mixture is frothy and pale. Stir in the sifted flour and baking powder. Then add the melted butter and mix until smooth. Fold in the ground pistachios. Cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes before use.
3. Preheat the oven to 230ºC (210ºC fan). Grease a 12-shell madeleine tin with butter and dust with flour; tap the excess out. Put a tablespoon of batter into each madeleine shell. Press one raspberry per shell into the batter and sprinkle with a little bit of ground pistachios.
4. Place the madeleine tin on the middle shelf of the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 200ºC (180ºC fan). Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down again to 180ºC (160º fan) and bake for another 5 minutes or until the madeleines are puffed and golden-brown.
5. Delicately transfer the madeleines onto a wire rack and repeat the baking for the second batch.
Let the madeleines cool down for a few minutes before eating them warm.
Notes:
* I use salted butter (it is very common to bake cakes with salted butter where I am from in France) but if you prefer to use unsalted, add a small pinch of salt with the eggs and sugar before whisking.
** I made my own by grinding a few handfuls of unsalted shelled pistachios in a food processor.
Bon appétit!
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