These light madeleines are intense with sweet muskiness from the lavender honey. Serve with the heat of the oven still there - and a sprig of two of edible lavender to decorate if you have some.
Servings - 6 (two madeleines per person)
60g unsalted butter, plus a small piece
11/2 tbsp lavender honey
40g caster sugar
2 eggs
60g plain flour, plus 1 tbsp
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
grated zest of half an orange
1/2 tsp edible lavender petals
1 tbsp icing sugar
250g raspberries
30g caster sugar
8cm, 12-hole madeleine tin
Melt the 60g of butter in a bowl over a pan of boiling water. Once melted, take the bowl off the water whisk in the honey and let it come to room temperature.
Whisk together the sugar and eggs until thick. Sift in the 60g of flour, baking powder and salt. Add the orange zest and combine thoroughly but gently. Lastly, stir in the melted butter and honey mixture. Leave it all to rest for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 170C. Melt the remaining small piece of butter and use to brush each madeleine tin indent, then follow up by dusting over the 1tbsp flour. Spoon in the madeleine mixture.
Sit the tray on a baking sheet in the oven to help protect the fluted underside from getting too baked. Bake for 10 mins but check at 8 mins. The edges should be going nicely brown. Let them sit for a minute out of the oven before lifting your madeleines out of the tin and onto a wire rack.
While the madeleines are baking, grind the lavender in a pestle and mortar, then stir through the icing sugar. Use to sift over the baked madeleines.
Serve the madeleines while still warm with the fruit compôte alongside (it can be made ahead of time or while the madeleines are baking): Put the raspberries and sugar into a small saucepan with 1 tbsp water. Cook over a high heat for a couple of mins, stirring frequently, until the fruit starts to collapse.