Honey + thyme madeleines

I am getting really excited about this years Easter baking and want to make ALL of the things RIGHT NOW, but since it’s only the beginning of March I need to cool my jets for a bit.

I’m always looking for new things to bake and this week I felt like making something quick and a bit old school. I’ve wanted to try baking madeleines for a long time and it turns out they are very simple and quick to make. It was also a good excuse to add to my ever expanding collection of bakeware (I bought my tin here.) Originating from the Lorraine region in France, madeleines were most likely first discovered in the 17th century, and although they usually contain ground almonds, they work just as well without. These madeleines are light and delicate and perfect for afternoon tea; the thyme adds a lovely subtle minty, lemony freshness which pairs perfectly with the honey.

Ingredients 

1c flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3c caster sugar
4 eggs
160g butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped

½c sugar (for finishing)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (for finishing)

Method 

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease your madeleine tin. I found it easiest to use a paper towel smeared with butter. Make sure you grease up and over the edges of the shells so the madeleines don’t stick.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the caster sugar, eggs, butter, honey, vanilla and the first measure of chopped thyme. Whisk until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into the madeleine tin, about 1 tablespoon per shell, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the madeleines are nice and golden.
While they are baking, mix the sugar and second measure of chopped thyme together in a medium bowl.
Remove the madeleines from the oven and gently remove them from the tin. While they are still warm, toss them in the thyme sugar and place on a wire rack to cool.

These are best eaten within two days. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

©Once Upon An Egg. All images and content are copyright protected. Please don’t use my images without permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write it in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.