Saffron, Orange, and Honey Madeleines

While I had the Ottolenghi & Goh book Sweet out, I flipped through it to find something to make as a hostess gift to bring to a dinner we were invited to. And this madeleine recipe, with its saffron flavouring and pistachio decoration, seemed like something that would be appreciated by our hosts.

The recipe is simpler in some ways than most madeleine recipes. No mixer, and no long refrigeration. Instead, the ingredients are blitzed in a food processor, then the portioned batter is chilled for just one hour. For the orange zest, I grated a few clementines.

I hadn’t made madeleines in a long time, and forgot how little batter fills each mold. Mine turned out pretty well, not evenly browned like the photograph in the book, but they all released from the pan and took on the nice shell shape. We brushed one side with wildflower honey, and rolled them in lines of finely chopped pistachios.

Eaten fresh out of the oven, and even up to two days later, these little cakes (cookies?) were heavenly. The saffron and citrus marry so well together, and the honey glaze was the perfect amount of sweetness. Highly recommended.