Saffron & polenta madeleines

These luxurious saffronscented madeleines are made half-and-half with flour and polenta. They’re wonderfully light, and as good with a cup of tea in the afternoon as they are with a glass of dessert wine.

MAKES 20-22 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V

30ml hot whole milk pinch of saffron

100g softened butter, plus extra

for the tin

90g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

60g polenta

60g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Pour the hot milk into a mug, add the saffron and leave to infuse. 2 Whisk the butter and sugar together using an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the polenta, plain flour and baking powder. Use the back of a teaspoon to squash the saffron against the side of the milk mug – it’ll help release colour and flavour. Tip the saffron and infusing milk into the madeleine mix, and gently stir to incorporate.

3 Butter the moulds of a 12-hole madeleine tin well, then add a heaped teaspoon of batter to each mould. Bake for 10 mins until well risen and golden, then remove from the oven. Leave them in the tin for a minute before very gently easing them out of the moulds and onto a wire rack. Clean the madeleine tin, butter the moulds again, and repeat with the remaining mixture. Serve warm. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up to three days. Pop them in a low oven to warm through before serving.

PER SERVING (22) 78 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 3g •

carbs 8g • sugars 4g • fibre none • protein 1g • salt 0.1g