Ingredients

• 225g/8oz butter
• plus extra for greasing
• 1 vanilla pod
• 250g/9oz sugar
• plus 75g/2½oz for dusting
• 250g/9oz plain flour
• 2 tbsp clear honey
• 3 free-range eggs
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• for dusting
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar
• 350ml/12fl oz double cream
• 1 star anise
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 25g/1oz butter

Directions

• For the madeleines
• preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 5 and butter the madeline tins.
• Heat the butter until just melted.
• Split the vanilla pods and scrape out the seeds
• reserving the pod.
• Place the sugar and flour into a bowl then add the vanilla seeds
• honey and eggs then whisk in the melted butter until you have a nice smooth batter.
• Spoon the batter into the tins
• only half filling each indent.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden-brown. (Depending on the size of the madeleines
• small ones may take only 8-10 minutes.)
• Mix the ground cinnamon and sugar for dusting on a plate
• then roll the madeleines quickly in the sugar to coat them thoroughly.
• For the winter caramel sauce
• heat the sugar in a pan until it turns a light golden-brown. Pour in half the cream and bring to the boil
• stirring well.
• Add the star anise
• cinnamon
• reserved vanilla pod and butter and the rest of the cream. Cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened and smooth.
• Strain through a fine sieve into a serving bowl.
• Serve the madeleines with the sauce. They can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week.