The title of Melbourne author Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s latest cookbook, Good Cooking Every Day, perfectly sums up her ethos: no matter whether you’re cooking a long lunch for friends, whipping up a quick midweek meal for your family, or pulling together a soup for a working-from-home lunch, every meal should be an occasion.
Busuttil Nishimura has become a veritable phenomenon, with a hardcore Instagram following and, now, four cookbooks to her name, as well as regular cooking columns in magazines, newspapers and online. Her fans are drawn by her dedication to seasonality and simplicity, two qualities the cook holds dear. They’re themes that run through this new book, from the recipe for spring bruschetta at its front, all the way to these madeleines, towards the back. Small and shell-shaped, these sweet treats are an approachable French classic.
“There are few things more special than a still-warm madeleine straight from the oven,” writes Busuttil Nishimura. “Here, rolled in an orange sugar, they are perfect in their simplicity and really don’t need much else. When in season, I love to use blood oranges instead. You could also simply dust them with icing sugar. My kids love these with a glass of cold milk, and, truthfully, so do I.”
Busuttil Nishimura says resting the batter in the fridge is a must – and while 45 to 60 minutes is ideal, there’s no harm in refrigerating overnight if necessary. You’ll also need a madeleine tin, which are widely available at specialty cooking stores such as Chefs’ Warehouse.
Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s madeleines
Makes 18
Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 45–60 minutes refrigeration
Cooking time: 10–12 minutes
Ingredients
3 eggs
80g (1⁄3 cup) caster sugar
40g honey
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 tsp orange-blossom water
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
150g self-raising flour
Good pinch of sea salt
150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
ORANGE SUGAR
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
80g caster sugar
Method
Place the eggs, caster sugar and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk for 8–10 minutes or until very voluminous and pale. Whisk in the orange zest, orange-blossom water and vanilla. Gently fold in the flour and salt, being very careful not to overmix, then fold in the melted butter. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 45–60 minutes.
To make the orange sugar, place the orange zest and sugar in a small bowl and rub the zest into the sugar until damp and fragrant. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced.
Brush a madeleine tin with the extra melted butter, then spoon about 1 tablespoon of the batter into each madeleine mould. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the madeleines are golden and risen. Remove the madeleines from the tin, roll in the orange sugar and eat warm.
Extracted from Good Cooking Every Day by Julia Busuttil Nishimura (published by Plum, $44.99.) Photography by Armelle Habib.
Find 10 more of Julia Busuttil Nishimura's best recipes here.
