Try any of the pastries and confections at Carlton’s Madeleine de Proust and it’s clear there’s some genuine magic at work. Make no mistake, partners Rong Yao Soh and Hyoju Park are highly skilled and experienced bakers and patissiers. They have resumes that include global Michelin-starred joints like Mingles in Seoul and London’s Galvin at Windows. The magic, though, comes from the way they celebrate – and subvert – classic baked goods.

“When we approach the madeleines we try to always do something that’s never happened before,” says Soh. “Madeleines are such a basic thing. In France, every mum bakes these, so we try to use it as a canvas and put in our creativity.”

Soh describes madeleines – small shell-shaped treats – as somewhere between a sponge cake and a cookie. On any given visit to Madeleine de Proust you’ll find a range that might include a pistachio-shaped madeleine with white chocolate, pistachio cream and raspberry jam. Or a cacao pod lookalike with Amphora dark chocolate and passionfruit ganache, topped with coconut streusel. Nostalgia plays its role, too.

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“For the weekend, we try to serve fresh warm madeleines that can evoke your childhood memories of warm cakes from the oven,” says Soh. “It’s fragrant, very buttery and it just connects you to your memories. I think that makes it really special.”

Madeleine de Proust is always looking for inspiration for its next magical creation – so where better to look than The Most Magical Place on Earth? From the wonders of EPCOT, the natural beauty of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park to the glamour of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and, of course, the fantastical sights of Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World Resort has no shortage of magical iconography and motifs to take inspiration from. In collaboration with Broadsheet and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Madeleine de Proust has looked to some of the most iconic symbols, feelings and of course magic, from across the resort, for its latest madeleine.

The result is “A Touch of Magic”, which bridges the gap between fine desserts, childhood nostalgia and Walt Disney World Resort. The purple-blue colouring of the white chocolate shell encasing the madeleine is inspired by the legendary Cinderella Castle (which you can see in person at Magic Kingdom Park). That shell also has edible glitter, inspired by Tinkerbell’s pixie dust. You can also spy shooting stars, inspired by the classic Disney wishing star. The main flavour you’ll pick up with your first bite is orange and vanilla, inspired by both the famous orange groves of Florida and Soh’s memories of theme park treats. “There’s vanilla and a little bit of marshmallow that brings your childhood back,” he says. “When you have a bite, it’s very vanilla, very fragrant and buttery with a hint of orange that brings everything together.”

In typical Madeleine de Proust style, Soh and Park’s Disney-inspired dessert blends technical skill and flavour in equal measure. The white chocolate shell needs to be tempered gently to retain that glassy shine, moving between 45 degrees and 27 to 28 degrees, while the vanilla marshmallow has to set just right to maintain its shape. You’re going to want to try this – but it’ll only be around for a week, from May 18 to May 26 or until sold out. Though this special-edition madeleine is a work of fine patisserie, it’s more than that for Soh. “When we were young Disney was such a big part of life, so we just tried to create something that looks magical.”

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.Ticket and Park Reservation required. ©Disney