Inspired by the famous French madeleine cakes, delicious savoury versions made with roasted pumpkin, parmesan and sage. Great party food with festive drinks.
150g / 5ozpumpkinroughly chopped into small chunks
1tablespoonsagefinely chopped
100g / 3.5ozolive oil
200g / 7ozplain(all-purpose) flour
1teaspoonbaking powder
3eggs
100g / 3.5ozsemi-skimmed milk
50gblock parmesanfreshly grated
½teaspoonfreshly grated nutmeg
20g / 0.75ozchopped walnutsoptional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/360°F (gas 4). Put the pumpkin in a roasting tin with half of the sage and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes then remove from oven to cool.
Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl then, using a balloon whisk, beat in the eggs, olive oil and milk until you have a smooth paste. Add the parmesan, nutmeg, the rest of the sage then gradually whisk in the pumpkin (it will break up with the whisk which is just perfect as it won’t be a purée but tiny bits) and walnuts, if using.
Pour into scalloped madeleine moulds and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cakes are golden brown.
Notes
How to Serve: Best served freshly baked, warm out of the oven. Great for serving with party drinks or with comforting bowls of winter soups. Make-ahead: Prepare the batter the day before and bake when needed. Can be frozen for up to a month to help you plan ahead for your holiday baking.