Mini Madeleines or Angel's Kiss

The writer Marcel Proust immortalized these biscuits in his work, "Involuntary Memory", recalling Sundays from his childhood, when Aunt Leonie baked madeleines and served little Marcel biscuits dipped in tea.

There are many legends about "who" authored these biscuits, one of them being about the year 1755 and Louis XV, the Duke's son-in-law, who was captivated by the small cakes prepared by Madeleine Paulmier, which is where the biscuits' name comes from. It is also said that his wife, Maria Leszczyńska, introduced them into the menu of the Palace of Versailles. Madeleines were much loved by the royal family and quickly won the affection of the rest of France.

My attitude towards madeleines is special; these pastries are iconic, like Coco Chanel for fashionistas, or Raphael for painters. My much-loved ballerina, Maia Plisetskaya, said in an interview about ballet, "those who don't understand the classics dance modern," stating that she had only seen exceptional modern ballet in Japan. I have the same opinion about cuisine; I like its historical side, and I am still at the stage where I am studying its roots, and this stage is so complex that I feel I will never evolve. Trends change every day; until recently, naked cakes were mega popular, now mousse cakes are at the top, and yet there are recipes that have been, are, and will be timeless.

As for their taste, I will use an amalgam of nouns, verbs, and adjectives – they melt, fluffy, moderately sweet, the lime notes give them an elegant aroma, and they are mandatory for a tea ceremony.

Ingredients

for 12 large madeleines or 36 mini madeleines

• 80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 80g flour, plus extra for dusting the pan
• 80g superfine sugar or powdered sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 1/2 small teaspoon baking powder
• grated zest of one lime
• Bourbon vanilla

Method of preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 190 C.
2. Grease the mold with butter and sprinkle with flour. Shake off any excess flour.
3. Beat the eggs with sugar until you get a smooth cream.
4. Sift the flour and baking powder.
5. Add vanilla and the zest of one lime.
6. Pour the batter into the mold and bake for 10 minutes until golden.
7. Immediately turn the biscuits out onto a cooling rack. Once cooled, store the madeleines in a biscuit tin or container.

Bon Appetit!