Makes 12 madeleines

“The madeleine is a cake of French origin. According to an oftenromanticised story, King Louis XV named it after the pastry chef from Commercy who invented it. Later, Marcel Proust elevated the cake to the literary pantheon when, after dipping a madeleine in his tea, he set out ‘in search of lost time’. Mum’s version, however, was not very orthodox and showed the influence of the Anglo-Saxon muffin.”

½ cup (70g) flour, plus extra for the

madeleine pan 4 tablespoons* (55g) sugar 1 teaspoon (5g) yeast 1 egg 2 tablespoons (30mL) milk 3½ tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the madeleine pan 12-hole madeleine pan or 12-cup

mini muffin pan and paper liners

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Butter and flour a madeleine pan or insert the liners in the muffin pan.

Mix the flour, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Beat the egg with the milk and melted butter; add to the flour

One day she uneasily told me about the painful circumstances of her separation from my father [Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti]. I learned to know her better at the breakfast table.

But it was not always a time for discussion. Returning from a trip, or on a Sunday, the Dutch Calvinist would honour the day of rest with a small luxury, something unusual for

mixture, blending well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared madeleine moulds or muffin cups (if using a muffin pan, fill cups hallway). Bake until the madeleines are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the madeleines from the pan and let them cool before serving.

Variations: to flavour the madeleines you can replace one-third of the flour with an equivalent quantity of unsweetened powdered cocoa, or add chocolate chips to the batter. * Recipe uses 15mL UK tablespoon.

her: breakfast in bed. It was like a prize she awarded herself, and it was enjoyed all the more if the tray were filled with tidbits, such as homemade madeleines, quince jelly, or cherry jam, along with toast, coffee, milk, butter, a small rose from the garden in a tiny vase, and on the side of her tray the International Herald Tribune.”