vanilla

After a lovely dog walk at the weekend through the local woods with the paths covered in fallen leaves, I had a vision of an autumnal birch log layer cake that I want to make. It is adorned with baked goodies resembling the forest floor. Normally I focus on the flavour rather than the look, so this could be a challenge.

First I thought I would recreate the fallen leaves and tuile biscuits are a perfect option. These thin and crispy biscuits shape well when warm and taken on the shape of fallen leaves perfectly. I made a mixture of vanilla and then added some cocoa powder to mix the colours up a bit to get some autumn shades.

You need to be super quick shaping these as they come out of the oven as they set hard as they cool and will shatter if you try and bend them. I laid the cookies over a rolling pin and wrapped them around handles of wooden spoons. You can sneak them back in the oven for 30 seconds to warm them up if needed.

This tuile recipe would work just as well with the traditional round templates to make that classic French arched roof tile shape that these biscuits are named after.

You can make your own templates by cutting a shape out of the top of a plastic ice cream container lid. Search on YouTube or Google and you will find lots of guides and instructions. However I found a company that sells leaf tuile templates that work a treat.

So over the next few weeks I will be playing with a few more ideas before I make the whole cake.

Makes: 30
Oven Temp: Gas 4, 350F, 180C (160C Fan)

Ingredients

65g plain flour
65g butter, melted and cool
60g icing sugar
2 large eggs, whites only
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan.
2. Gently mix the melted butter, sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract into a paste.
3. Lightly beat the eggs whites. Mix the eggs whites into the butter and sugar mixture.
4. Sift in flour and stir into a batter. Do not over mix.
5. Rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
6. Line your baking sheets with baking parchment or a silicon mat. Put the tuile template on the mat.
7. Fill the template with the batter, then draw a palate knife across the template to level the tuile and remove surplus batter.
8. Bake for between 5-10 minutes until light golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven if you are making the traditional arched tile shape. Quickly remove from the baking tray and lay over a rolling pin. This has to be done when they are hot or they will crack as you try to shape them. If they are going too hard put them back in the oven for 30 seconds.

Madeleines are delicious little light buttery french cakes, traditionally made in a tin shaped like a scallop shell. They are kind of a cross between a biscuit and a cake. Hard on the outside with a soft light and fluffy sponge center.

They can be a little tricky when trying to make these in the traditional method, making the batter in the same way you would normally make a Genoise sponge mix. But I came across this easier method which are just as delicious and satisfying to eat or dunk with a lovely cup of tea. Or in my case dipped in a strong espresso! The honey in the recipe gives an additional depth of flavour.

The sign of a good Madeleine I am told is the hump that forms on the back of the cake. You are aiming for a Quasimodo in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” size hump. I did not get the same hump in this recipe but who cares, they taste fantastic!

To prevent the purists or French from getting upset I will also post a more traditional recipe soon.

For additional twist you could add the zest of a lemon or orange to the wet mix before you combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Makes: 1 dozen cakes
Oven Temp: Gas 5, 375F, 190C (170C Fan)

Ingredients

100g plain flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter (melted)
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F/190C
1.Grease a 12 hole madeleine tin with a small amount of the melted butter and dust lightly with flour.
You can use a small tart tin if you don’t have the a madeleine tin.
2.Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl.
3.In a separate bowl whisk together the cooled melted butter, egg yolk, honey and vanilla.
4.Whisk the two egg whites to stiff peaks.
5.Mix the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients until evenly combined.
6.Gently fold in the egg whites in two batches using a metal spoon or spatula, making sure all the egg white is incorporated.
7.Divide the mixture between the prepared moulds. Do not overfill as these will expand, a large teaspoon should be fine.
8.Bake for 10-12 mins until golden brown.
9.Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Vanilla and Honey Madeleines

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

Author: CluckMuckCook

Recipe type: Cakes

Serves: 12

Ingredients

100g plain flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter (melted)
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F/190C
Grease a 12 hole madeleine tin with a small amount of the melted butter and dust lightly with flour.
You can use a small tart tin if you don't have the a madeleine tin.
Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl.
In a separate bowl whisk together the cooled melted butter, egg yolk, honey and vanilla.
Whisk the two egg whites to stiff peaks.
Mix the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients until evenly combined.
Gently fold in the egg whites in two batches using a metal spoon or spatula, making sure all the egg white is incorporated.
Divide the mixture between the prepared moulds. Do not overfill as these will expand, a large teaspoon should be fine.
Bake for 10-12 mins until golden brown.
Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Adapted from a recipe found on the Good Food website by Mary Cadogan