Blackberry and Hazelnut Madeleines

Blackberry and Hazelnut Madeleines Recipe

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 hazelnuts** (plus extra for sprinkling)

1 punnet blackberries (you want to account for one blackberry 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 hazelnuts. 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 blackberry per shell into the batter and sprinkle with a little bit of ground hazelnuts.

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 blanched hazelnuts in a food processor.

Bon appétit!