Passion Fruit Madeleines

These tender fluffy madeleines soaked with a sweet fragrant passion fruit syrup make me think of all things summery. 

I'm a little sad now that it seems the weather is so damp and drizzly. Even if it was only yesterday that we were in day 3 of the heatwave from hell. 



These madeleines are the essence of summer, perfect for when you fancy a smidgen of something sweet that isn't heavy or chocolatey, and you're after something a little more fresh and zingy, juicy and fruity.





The passion fruits I bought from a local farm shop, and they were amazingly cheap. If you can get them from your local green grocers then I would check out the prices of passion fruits there, and supermarkets tend to make them rather dear.  

Passion fruit Madeleines

Adapted from a recipe by Nigel Slater

Makes 12 madeleines

Ingredients:
100g/3 1/2 oz butter
100g/ 3 1/2 oz caster sugar
Grated zest of a lemon
2 eggs
50g/2oz self raising flour
45g/1 1/2 oz ground almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract 

Greased madeleine tray 

For the syrup:
50g/1 1/2 oz caster sugar
125ml water
8 passion fruits, plump but wrinkled
Juice of half a lemon 

For the icing:
125g/4oz icing sugar (not a precise measurement, add more if you need to) 
Lemon juice (as much lemon juice as you need to make a thin icing)

Method: 

1) Put the butter, cut into small pieces, into the bowl with the caster sugar and beat until light and creamy for 8-10 minutes. 

2) Set the oven at 220C/Gas mark 8 (for a gas oven, I set the oven at 200C). 

3) Fold in the lemon zest, then the eggs, lightly beaten, a bit at a time. If the mixture shows any signs of curdling, fold in a little of the flour. Fold in the flour and ground almonds then divide between the tins. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. 

4) Make the syrup by putting the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir gently, until the sugar has dissolved then remove from the heat. Allow the madeleines to cool for a few minutes, then run a palette knife around the edges of the tins and pop them on a cooling rack. 

5) Cut the passion fruits in half and squeeze their insides into a small sieve balanced over a mixing bowl or jug. Stir the seeds with a spoon, pushing as much of the pulp as you can through the sieve. Discard the seeds. Stir the passion fruit and lemon juice into the sugar syrup. 

6) Spoon the passion fruit syrup over the madeleines, soaking them slowly and thoroughly. (I had a lot of leftover syrup as I didn't use all it all, not wanting my cakes to be too soggy. Leftover syrup would make for a fabulous cocktail)

7) Sift the icing sugar, then stir in enough lemon juice to make a thin icing. It should just coat them but be thin enough to see the characteristic ridges of the madeleine. Spoon this over the cakes and leave to set.