Do certain foods make you nostalgic? Evoke a specific season, time, or person?

 

Hot chocolate reminds me of my first real winter in London – I drank a cup everyday, letting the delicious, rich, chocolate warm my insides.

 

Watermelons remind me of my Dad – when my brother and I were little, he’d carve them up, scoop out the inside and then fill it with ice-cream and fruit to make a stunning summer treat for us.

 

Potato salad reminds me of my childhood and our dinners at home, where it’d be paired with fried fish or chicken drumsticks. The little pieces of celery added crunch and freshness with every creamy bite.

 

What do Madeleines remind you of?

 

 

To me, they sing of youthful summer. A time when the world is for the taking, and life is carefree and joyful.

 

So bright, and light. Fluffy with crispy edges. With a protruding belly. Madeleines don’t have a care in the world – they just soak up sunlight.

 

 

Look how beautiful!

 

 

If there is a downside to Madeleines, it is that they must be eaten the second they emerge from the oven. Like that literal second. They don’t taste their best even a couple minutes later.

 

 

While summer is still a while away, and life is often not as carefree as we’d dreamt, there are still little Madeleines to brighten the day.

 

Mini lemon Madeleines

Prep time: Make batter the day before, 10 mins
Cook time: 6 mins
Makes: 24

Recipe from: Dominique Ansel

Ingredients:

115g/ 1 stick unsalted butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp honey

115g/ 1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

110g/ 1 cup flour, sifted

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

zest from 1 lemon

nonstick cooking spray

icing sugar, to dust

 

Method:

1. Make the batter the evening before. Melt the butter, brown sugar and honey together in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly. Keep the mixture warm.
2. In another bowl, mix together the caster sugar, salt, flour, and baking powder with a whisk. Add the eggs one at a time and whisk in. Pour in the warm butter mixture and combine. Add the zest and mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the batter, and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF. Spray a mini Madeleine tin with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop the batter out into a piping bag and pipe into the moulds, so they are about 3/4 full. The batter spreads in the mould so don’t worry about piping perfectly.
4. Bake for 3 minutes, or until the batter puffs up in the center. Rotate the tin 180º and bake for another 3 minutes until golden brown.
5. Un-mould  by banging the tin against the counter, dust with icing sugar and consume immediately!

What foods make you nostalgic? I’m waiting to hear 🙂