Brown Butter Spelt Madeleines

My niece and nephew are obsessed with the classic Madeleine and often have one after school.  I have been thinking about making my own version for a while and it was only when I rediscovered my baking tray that it gave me the push.  The combination of spelt flour with the nuttiness from the brown butter is a winning combination.  Let’s be honest, basically everything goes well with brown butter!  I don’t usually encourage people to buy extra kitchen equipment but if you love baking or already have a tray, then this is worth making again and again.  The beauty with this batter means that you can make it in advance and and leave in the fridge until you want to bake. They are best eaten a few minutes after coming out of the oven.

Makes around 22

Ingredients:

Zest of 1 lemon or 1 too lemon extract

20g runny honey

60ml whole milk

200g unsalted butter, slice into cubes

3 medium eggs

130g unrefined caster sugar

220g spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar for dusting

Start with the brown butter.  Place butter cubes in a saucepan on a medium heat and slowly melt.  Once melted, turn up the heat and allow it to bubble.  Depending on the heat it should take around 4 minutes to go golden.  I recommend using a silver saucepan so that you can see the butter change colour.  You can tell that the butter is almost done because it will start to release a wonderful hazelnut aroma.  The butter bubbles and then goes frothy and then starts to gently colour.  When it’s golden you can take it off the heat.  Be aware that it can burn if you are not careful.  When ready, pour into a bowl and allow to cool completely.  If you have some ice, then it will cool down faster when placed over a bowl of icy water.

While the brown butter cools you can start on the batter.  In a large bowl use an electric whisk to whip up the eggs until pale and airy.   This is important and takes around 3-4 minutes.  Then continue to whisk and slowly pour in the sugar a few tablespoons at a time until all is combined. In a separate bowl, sieve in the spelt flour and baking powder and mix in the lemon’s zest.  Then combine the milk, honey and vanilla extract (lemon extract would go in here if using) to the brown butter.  The brown butter should be cooled when doing this part!  Using a hand whisk, gently stir in a little of the flour mix followed by the butter mix.  Be careful not to knock out too much air of the batter.  Continue adding a little of each until everything is incorporated.  Leave the batter for at least 2 hours or overnight covered in the fridge.  

When you are ready to bake the madeleines, preheat oven to 190 C and lightly butter a Madeleine baking tray.  Spoon 1 heaped tablespoon of the batter into each mould and place into the oven for 6 minutes.  Then turn off the oven for one minute leaving the madeleines in there.  Then turn the oven back on to 160 C for a further 5 minutes.  This will give the madeleines their signature bump.  I always use a timer for the cooking to get it right.  If after the cooking they are a little springy to touch then remove from the oven to cool for a minute before gently prizing them out.  Continue with the second batch!  When they are all finished, dust with icing sugar and serve with a fresh mint tea or any kind of tea.  These are so delicious!!!