Thank-you Sunday magazine for featuring us in your 'Home' section a few weeks back. The beautiful photograph is by Patrick Reynolds. We were not sure how the shoot would turn out as we had four delicious cakes from Miann right in front of our son William and he was desperate to get stuck into them. Based upon this image he had clearly resigned himself to waiting!

I make these lemon curd madeleines all the time. If you prepare the lemon curd in advance they are very quick and easy to make. If you can, serve them warm, while the centre is still gooey and unctuous. Dust with a light shower of icing sugar after plating on a pretty plate (in the image I have used a Bebe Oval Scalloped Platter in powder pink. A perfect morning or afternoon tea party treat. Individual servings look lovely on small plates in butter, french vanilla and golden syrup.

Lemon Curd Madeleines

This recipe has been adapted from one I discovered in Michel Roux Jr's Le Gavroche Cookbook, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 2003. It is the best madeleine recipe I have come across in my extensive searches to date!
Makes approx. 12 small madeleines of 9 large ones.

2 eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
60 grams unsalted butter, melted
approx. 1/2 cup lemon curd

Lightly beat the eggs with the sugar, and zest and juice of 1 lemon. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, then the melted butter: do not overwork. Let rest for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 210 degrees Celsius (yes I know, that is hot!) Butter and flour the madeleine trays or use silcone moulds (these do not need any preparation just put the mixture straight in them). Using a tablespoon, three-quarters fill each mould. Cook small madeleines for approx. 7-8 minutes for smaller madeleines (depending on your oven) or 10 minutes for larger ones: do not overcook as they should remain moist.

As soon as they are cooked tip the madeleines out of the moulds and place on a wire rack. At this stage you can use a piping bag or a syringe to fill each madeline with one teaspoon of lemon curd (or, if you don't have this equipment you can add a teaspoon of lemon curd on top on the madeline mixture and top with more mixture to cover prior to baking them.

Lemon Curd (makes approximately 2 cups)

4 very juicy lemons 
125 grams butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten

Zest the lemons and set aside. Squeeze the lemons and strain the juice. Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler. Stir in sugar and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved. Add eggs and lemon rind. Place over boiling water and cook, stirring all the time until mixture thickens (this can take about 25-30 minutes). Pour into sterilised jars. Store in the fridge.
Recipe from The Edmonds Cookery Book, Hodder, Moa Beckett, Auckland, 1998.
 
 
 

 I had some wonderful news from Sarah Gladwell at inhouse design this week. One of the elements of her identity design for Rachel Carley Ceramics has been published in a luscious book called Modern Heraldry: Seals, Stamps, Crests & Shields by Counter-Print in the UK. I am off to order myself a copy but if you take a look below  you can see who it is keeping company with and it is very exciting!

Last week I had a wonderful photoshoot with the very clever Delena Nathuran in preparation for Valentines Day. I picked up 6 delightful cupcakes from Bluebells Cakery and we had a terrific time matching them with my conversation heart plates. The complementary colours look glorious and the cupcakes tasted fabulous too!