The Great British Chefs – challenge no. 1- Ginger Madeleines by Shaun Rankin

Back in May I received an email from Alexis from Lexeat, who was helping her friend Oliver Lloyd co-founder of  Great British Chefs. In a nutshell the email was asking for recipe testers. However, this was no ordinary recipe testing.  The recipes are from Michelin stars chefs from around the country, who actually work in their kitchens. The recipes would be featured on their app on i-tunes to be launched in July.  The app is a collection of recipes celebrating and championing the best of less well-known Michelin star chefs in Britain.The experiment/testing purpose was to get feedback on the recipes, to basically see if they work in domestic kitchens and what level of experience is needed to execute them.
What works, what doesn’t work, technical problems, timings, logic, method etc.
In return we would get a  £15 iTunes voucher,  all expenses paid, your recipe testing credited in the app and we would get  hold of your recipes straight from the kitchen of a Michelin Star chef. What was not to like?  So I clicked the link and applied to be a recipe tester. A couple of days later, bank holiday Friday, I received three recipes, a smoked haddock ballotine starter, an English Duck as a main and some ginger madeleines petits fours! The chef(s) still not revealed then. Now for the catch – deadline : Monday Bank Holiday! Panic!

I rushed to the supermarket got the ingredients. I also got help from the lovely boys at Fin & Flounder in the Broadway Market with some great fish and trusty excellent knife skills.
At Brixton market I found the global artichoke and lychee. That was it! Back home for some serious cooking.
Over the long weekend I baked, cooked  and photographed my way through Michelin star starter, main and petit fours – heaven! Today is the launch of the app for sale at Apple Store/I

Challenge no. 1
Petits Fours – Ginger madeleines by Shaun Rankin 

Shaun is Head Chef for Bohemia in Jersey – an acclaimed restaurant nestled in The Club Hotel & Spa that’s held a Michelin star since 2005.
Total time       30 minutes
Makes            24 pieces
Proust’s favourite treats with a surprising spicy finish
INGREDIENTS
1 vanilla pod
150g caster sugar
20g Demerara sugar
180g strong white flour
5g baking powder
10g ground ginger
30g honey
4 medium eggs
180g butter
EQUIPMENT 
Madeleine tray
Piping bag
METHOD 
Step 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C
Step 2 Split the vanilla pod in two lengthwise and scrape out the seeds
Ingredients    1 vanilla pod
Step 3 Add the vanilla pod, caster sugar, Demerara sugar, flour, baking powder and ginger to a mixing bowl
Ingredients    150g caster sugar,20g Demerara sugar,180g strong white flour,5g baking powder,
10g ground ginger
Step 4 Stir well with a plastic spatula to combine
Step 5 Melt the butter over a low heat
Ingredients    180g butter
Step 6 Fold in the honey, followed by the eggs and then slowly add the butter
Ingredients    30g honey, 4 medium eggs
Step 7 Mix it all together well
Step 8 Fill a piping bag with the mixture, pipe into the moulds and bake for 9–10 minutes until golden brown
Step 9 Remove from the tray and serve warm – spicy and delicious!
            The Feedback
Easy to follow, simple recipe, it actually produced 32 madeleines.  I would add more ginger. Nice spicy finish and not too sweet. Perfect.
Next – The Starter and Mains…
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