Old Mother Hubbard

Yesterday we celebrated my sister's birthday. It wasn't actually her birthday (two week's to go yet), but since Dad is heading off to Spain and won't be here for the day itself, the whole family got together for a dinner to mark the momentous occasion (No.1 Sister is about to hit the big 4-0). Birthdays are serious business in our house - no mere day will suffice. Instead, we have what we call a 'birthday festival'. As on this occasion, it can mean starting the festivities early and then continuing through the actual birthday and beyond for a week or so. On the 'big' birthdays, it has even been known for celebrations to go on for months (as with Mam's 60th, almost three years ago). Some of the birthday parties are not much changed from childhood (with the important distinction that now they usually involve a glass of bubbly) - we still gather round the kitchen table at home; birthday banners are taped to the walls; there's generally a home-made birthday cake and / or other baked treats; and yes, we most definitely still sing 'Happy Birthday'.

For yesterday's pre-birthday festivities, things were a little more low-key, given that this is the advance march on the big celebration to come. I will happily seize any excuse to tie on my apron and bake up a storm, but I had to restrain myself - we were heading out for a lovely dinner in Ananda (the wonderful Indian restaurant in Dundrum) early in the evening, so whatever I came up with, it had to be small but fabulous. It also had to be easy and relatively effortless - although the heat of recent weeks has abated somewhat, it's still rather warm and muggy and generally, an unfriendly sort of weather for bakers. One thing came to mind - madeleines - fluffy, buttery, light little sponge cakes, with a slightly crispy exterior when eaten on the day they're baked (though some people consider them biscuits, to me they're more cake-like in texture and method). They are quick to make - with a pause between making and baking, while you refrigerate the batter - and even quicker to bake. You can play a bit with the flavour, by adding lemon zest for a lemony hint, a delicate touch of lavender or rose-water or even use cocoa to make a chocolate version, but for me, the original madeleine is the best. They make the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee or tea and as they're so small, they're practically guilt-free. Cake? What cake?

So, on went the apron, out came the pretty, fluted madeleine tray and off I went to gather the ingredients. It hadn't dawned on me to check that I actually had the necessary ingredients before I began, as madeleines require so few (simply eggs, butter, flour and sugar) and, as a rule, you will always find these in my kitchen. There was a brief moment of panic when I reached for the caster sugar, only to remember that I'd used the last of it the previous week and had completely forgotten to replace it when shopping. I felt like Old Mother Hubbard, as I gazed forlornly at the empty container and contemplated the lack of a spare bag of sugar in the baking press. I really did not feel like a trek to the shops to get sugar - the egg was already cracked and in the bowl, the flour was weighed and the butter was melted and cooling. Just as I was pondering the substitution of brown muscovado sugar for caster - which would, I imagine, give a darker, caramel flavoured madeleine (lovely, but not what I intended) - I remembered my little sugar bowl. There it sat on my counter-top; a tiny replica of a round Le Creuset casserole dish. I only use it for the odd sprinkle of sugar on porridge, so I hadn't thought of it before. I lifted the lid and peered into the half-filled little pot. Could it possibly contain enough sugar to save me a trip to the shops? Luckily, I was only baking a single batch of 12 madeleines, for which the ingredients required are minimal (1 egg, 50g butter, 45g flour and 40g of sugar). I poured the sugar into my weighing bowl and watched as the digital display rose to the magic number. Saved by the emergency sugar bowl!
 

A batch of delicious madeleines made their appearance a mere six minutes after I put the tin into the hot oven (I did promise quick and painless baking). Less than two hours later, we were sitting around the table at home, coffee poured and ready to tuck in. Mam had whipped up a batch of summer berry scones (proudly displayed in this photo), which were as fabulously good as ever (she is Queen of the Scone). They were quickly followed by my madeleines and a glass each of Peach Bellini (complete with a boozy strawberry floating merrily in the fizz), while we sat in the shade in the balmy back garden. A fitting start to the birthday celebrations.