Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Rachel Khoo's Madeleines with Lemon Curd

Has anyone been watching Rachel Khoo's Little Paris Kitchen...it makes me want to give up my job, move to Paris and immediately start baking in a tiny kitchen!! For those of you who haven't seen it, it's currently on BBC 2 on Mondays at 8.30pm. Rachel has been whipping up some fabulous recipes and this is one I just had to try!
I've had a madeleine pan for a while but I've never used it, so this was the perfect opportunity. And I have to say what's not to like about these madeleines...a soft moist sponge with a touch of honey and a baked raspberry centre, oozing with homemade lemon curd...serve them warm...heaven! 
I would highly recommend these madeleines they were truly delicious...I say that about a lot of things but I gave these to a friend who receives quite a few of my culinary creations and she said that these were quite possibly her favourite! The only thing I forgot to do was take a picture of the scalloped side of the madeleines...oh well...I guess I'll just have to make them again!

If you fancy giving them a go the recipe is below or you can get Rachel's new book on amazon...described as French recipes with a fun and fresh approach. It includes both sweet and savoury classics with a twist!

Ingredients

3 eggs
130g sugar
200g plain flour
10g baking powder
zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
20g honey
4 tbsp milk
200g butter, melted
Raspberries
Icing sugar

Lemon curd

1 unwaxed lemon, juice and zest
Pinch of salt
40g sugar
45g butter
2 egg yolks

You need to start the batter either the day before or a few hours before you want to bake these madeleines...I've never heard of this before but it seemed to work!

To start you need to melt the butter and leave it to cool. Whilst the butter is cooling beat the eggs and sugar together until light and frothy. Then in a seperate bowl sift the flour and baking powder together and then add the lemon zest. Mix the honey and milk with the cooled butter and add to the egg mixture. You can then fold in the flour to this mixture, it is best to do this in two batches. You can then leave this madeleine batter covered in the fridge overnight until you are ready to use it. Alternatively, if you wish to use it the same day it must be left for at least a few hours.

Next up is the lemon curd, which should also be left in the fridge overnight. Put the sugar, butter, salt and lemon zest and juice into a saucepan. Put it over a low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. At this stage take it off the heat. It is best to pre-prepare your egg yolks and beat them lightly, so that at this stage you can just add them straight to the saucepan. When you add the egg yolks you need to whisk vigorously, then return the saucepan to the low heat and whisk constantly to prevent curdling. Your lemon curd should start to thicken up and once you start to see a bubble or two, it's ready. Take it off the heat and pass it through a sieve into a bowl, place clingfilm over the top in direct contact with the curd and refridgerate overnight.
This recipe makes about 24 madeleines so if you have a 12 hole pan, you will need to make them in two batches. To bake, preheat the oven to 190c/170c fan/gas 5 and butter and flour the madeleine pan. Also put the lemon curd into a piping bag with a small nozzle. The recipe call for a heaped tablespoon to be placed in each madeleine shell...I found this to be too much, just below the top of the shell worked for me. You can then push a raspberry into the centre of each madeleine.

To bake, put the madeleines in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn the oven off altogether for 1 minute...this gives the madeleines their domed shpae. Finally, turn the oven back on to 160c/140c fan/gas 3 for a further 5 minutes. When done transfer to a wire rack to cool...or serve them warm from the oven.

The finishing touch is to insert the piping nozzle with the lemon curd into the mound of each madeleine and pipe about a teaspoons worth of lemon curd into the centre whilst they are still warm, this will also melt the lemon curd a bit! Et voila...a delicious teatime treat! :-)

24 comments:

  1. Just found your blog! I love madeleines and these look SO yummy and delicious!

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  2. Her programme gives me the exact same urge to move to Paris!! Her life is too perfect. These look delicious, and I love her book too, just wish I had a madeleine pan to make these.

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  3. Whoa, this is about the most creative recipe for madelines I have ever seen! Also, I am imagining at how delicious these must be. You did a great job preparing these as well. The little bit of curd poking out and the dusting of sugar..yum! The more I see on Paris the more it makes me want to go there! Delicious post and great review on the book!

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  4. Wow these look good. I keep meaning to watch her programme but have never got round to it...will have to catch up! x

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  5. these are just so delicate and girly... and so beautiful... I MUST buy a madeleine tray... just so French!

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  6. These look like something out of a fine patisserie. They look incredibly tempting. Yummy!

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  7. I don't have a Madeleine pan but now I WANT ONE!These look super inviting :D

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  8. These madeleines look so yummy! Lovely idea from Rachel Khoo to pair these with lemon curd! I think she's adorable (have you seen the exciting news on my blog? Sorry, I'm telling everyone, I'm just so excited ;-D)!!

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  9. These look truly yummy! I have been watching Rachel too and love the programme and these are on my ever growing 'to make' list. Yours look gorgeous and are inspiring me to have a go!

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  10. I love madeleines but I never thought I could have a filling in them. Clever and delicious! Thanks for sharing.

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  11. I lovely new idea of what I can make with my new madeleines tin !

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  12. These look gorgeous. I've got a never used before madelaine pan, too, and it's great to get some ideas for what to do with it!

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  13. Ooh look at those squidgy lemon curd centres, yummy! I've also been hooked on the Rachel Khoo programme. I love her sense of style and lipstick as much as her cooking!

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  14. These look amazing! I love the flavour combination and am now a huge fan of madeleines. I did the same with my last batch of madeleines - forgot to take a photo of the scalloped end. Perfect excuse to make them again but make sure you send some to me :)

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  15. Wow! These look fab! I love The Little Paris Kitchen, too and it's another recipe I can try in my madeleine tin! I must go out and buy the book NOW!

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  16. I think a madeleine pan is definitely the way forward! You really have to make these madeleines...they were quite simply divine!!! It seems everyone loves Rachel Khoo too! :-)

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  17. Wow! They look divine :-) I need a Madeleine pan right now!! Rachel is great, so lovely and chic at the same time. She talks to the camera effortlessly and her dishes are simple. I'm off to Paris in July and her show makes me want to go right this second :-) Xx

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  18. These look delicious! I haven't seen madelibes with a fillign before. I have a madeleine tin I was given at Christmas and haven't used yet. Must sort that out soon.

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  19. Laura.. those madeleines are superb.. never thought of piping them with curd in a raspberry.. Both of which I love to bits.. Simply delish!! xoxo

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  20. I love Rachel Khoo's show :) I wanna quick and move to paris too hehe she's so talented and I love how simple her recipe and attitude towards food ~ these look great I can't wait to try!

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  21. LOve this idea! I also have a lonely madeleine pan & in the fridge there's a jar of lemon curd & [homemade] strawberry jam - guess what I'm making tomorrow :)

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  22. Love this! I've made loads of madeleine's recently. There so addictive aren't they? Although I haven't had chance to make these lemon ones yet. I'm sure I'll find time to make some really soon. Off to Paris in a couple of days too. Sooooo excited!

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  23. Would you be happier using a tin tray or silicon ? As its a batter I thought the tin should be as hot as possible, as with Yorkshire pudding batter. It helps the rise. If I use a silicon tray, can I heat it up the same?

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