Ingredients

• 90g/3¼oz unsalted butter, diced
• 3 eggs, separated
• 90g/3¼oz caster sugar
• 90g/3¼oz plain flour
• scant tsp baking powder, scant
• pinch salt
• 1 lemon, grated rind of 1 large lemon
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
•   icing sugar, to dust
•   sliced oranges, marinated in orange liqueur and a little lemon juice
•   whipped cream, flavoured with diced crystallised ginger

Method

1. Heat the butter in a small pan until it turns brown. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale yellow and thick, then slowly stir in the melted butter.
2. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Using a large metal spoon, fold the egg whites, spoonful by spoonful, into the yolk mixture, alternating with spoonfuls of flour and the baking powder and salt. Finally, gently fold in the lemon rind and juice. Place the mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Butter and flour the madeleine moulds thoroughly. Spoon the cake mixture into the moulds so they are two-thirds full, then bake for about 7 minutes until the mixture is risen and domed. Reduce the oven temperature to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and bake for a further 7 minutes or so until pale golden brown on top and slightly darker around the edges.
4. Run the tip of a knife around the edge of each madeleine and unmould on to a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with oranges and whipped cream, or Poires, pruneaux et Oranges.

Notes