Mum made these for me when I was young, usually at our bonfire night party – I loved them then and admit to loving them just as much today even though they were regarded as a child´s bun or small cake. This is one recipe I have not felt the need to revise. Traditional and wonderful.

1 large fresh egg and its weight (in the shell) in:-
- self raising flour
- unrefined caster sugar
- unsalted butter or margarine (or a mixture)
- pinch fine salt
Decoration
- 2 tbsp good quality apricot jam
- desiccated coconut
- 3 natural glacé cherries
- Angelica leaves

Method:-
Grease 5 or 6 castle pudding tins
Preheat oven to 380ºF
Prepare by creaming method (cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in the egg with 1 tablespoon flour, sift in remaining flour and salt, gently fold in)
Half fill each tin with the mixture
Bake for 20 minutes on the middle shelf of the preheated oven – or until well risen and firm when lightly pressed with the little finger
Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tins, remove and put onto a wire rack until cold

While the Madelines are cooling – warm two tablespoons of apricot jam, sieve
Place the coconut into a wide shallow bowl
When cold, trim off the rounded part (the risen rounded part at the top)
Brush the jam over the top and sides
Roll in the coconut, top with half a natural glacé cherry or a leaf of angelica