We all know that tea & cake go together like bread & butter but, ever wondered what happens when you cross that link & actually put the tea in the cake? It’s no small secret that I’m a bit of an enthusiast when it comes to tea, my own pantry could give Fortnum & Mason a run for their money, & I’ve always been intrigued at the idea of using tea as an ingredient as opposed to a comforting beverage.
From biscuits, scones & layer cakes to tea inspired spices, thus far, tea hasn’t let me down in it’s ability to bring a new dimension of flavour to my bakes, be it from loose leaves or even powdered matcha. Perhaps the prettiest of all the tea to bake with, matcha is a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves. Grown from the same green tea plant as sencha, matcha has a much sweeter taste & more vibrant colour due to the way in which it is grown & processed. Matcha is made from plants grown almost entirely in shade or darkness, after which only the youngest leaves are dried & ground to preverse nutrient & colour. It’s this powdery consistency & bright green colour which makes matcha so perfect for use in baking & cooking.
With a craving for something vibrant this week, I’ve paired the sweet, earthy flavour of matcha with the sweetly tart, berry tones of ruby chocolate. A pairing that not only works in terms of flavour but just look at those two colours together! A treat for the tongue as well as the eyes, these dainty little matcha & ruby chocolate madeleines are soft, delicate & delicious. The perfect thing for sharing over a pot of your favourite tea.
MATCHA & RUBY CHOCOLATE MADELEINES
(makes 24 madeleines)
Ingredients:
For the madeleines:
- 120g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp matcha
- 130g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- 2 eggs
For the decoration:
- 100g ruby chocolate
- (Optional) small handful of dried flower petals or sprinkles
Method:
- Grease and flour two 12 hole madeleine tins, shaking off any excess flour from the tin
- Gently melt the butter in a small saucepan & set aside
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, matcha & caster sugar
- In a separate bowl add the eggs & the milk & whisk until the eggs become pale & frothy
- Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients & gently hold everything together until just combined
- Next, adding a third at a time, pour the butter into the bowl & fold through each addition
- Cover the top of the bowl with a beeswax wrap or piece of cling film & pop the batter to rest in the fridge for at least an hour
- Taking a teaspoon of the mixture at a time, divide the chilled batter between the madeleine moulds
- Bake the madeleines at 180C for 10 – 12 minutes, until golden & well risen
- Leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing from their tins & place on a cooling rack to cool
- Once cooled, gently melt the ruby chocolate either in a small bowl set over a pan of bubbling water or in short bursts in the microwave
- Gently dip half of each madeleine into the melted chocolate & sprinkle over any decorative toppings before setting aside to set
