Lemon Yogurt Mini-Cakes on City Bandit

Once upon a time, I made lemon yogurt mini-cakes.  

It’s been a while, but here’s the recipe. 

This is a spin-off of a classic French everyday cake.  I learned the recipe back when I was an exchange student in France from my host mother.  She made one of these cakes about every week, and I absolutely adored them.  They were so light and fluffy, not too sweet.  You could eat it as a snack, dessert, with cream or chocolate or berries; it didn’t matter, it was so versatile.

I find that making this cake in Canada, it works best in muffin tins.  I don’t know, maybe it is the consistency of the yogurt that we have here or something, but every time I’ve tried to make this cake in a cake pan, it always ends up turning into a tough and chewy mess.  In muffin tins however, they rise beautifully and have the most gorgeous golden colour.  

I Heart Madeleines

“I raised to my lips a spoonful of the [little madeleine] . . . a shudder ran through my whole body and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place.” – Marcel Proust

Mmm.  Madeleines.  There is just something about these cheery little spongy cookie-cakes that make even Proust get all gooey inside.

I could eat these all day long.

I often like to torture myself by going into kitchen supply stores and wistfully fantasize about all the pretty things I can’t currently get my hands and wallet on.  Like All-Clad measuring cups and spoons.  Or a Le Creuset French oven.  Or the boysenberry KitchenAid stand mixer.

However, one fateful trip to Warshaw (discount kitchen supplies heaven) and ten bucks spent later, and at least one of the items I’d been dying to get into my pantry could be crossed off the list.  A pan to make madeleines. 

Vegetable Soufflé with Chicken Zucchini Salad

That’s it.  I’m convinced.  Soufflés have to the best and easiest answer to spicing up dinner for anyone. 

I’m a big fan of eating anything that has been fluffed up with egg whites and air. Mmm, mmm.  Makes meals that much fun! Bring on the soufflés. 

This soufflé was plate-licking good, and packed only with fabulous, fresh ingredients.  And check this – I did it without buying a single ramekin.  Investing in ramekins would allow my soufflé to get more height, however, for just a simple Tuesday night dinner, a semi-high, super scrumptious soufflé served me just fine.