Cardamom cakelets

Back then ... when the weather was getting warmer in New Jersey (usually around May), some of my neighbors would have cafe/dining alfresco. What a beautiful picture I saw - a big family sat by a long wood table, grandma was busy in taking out the food and pouring everyone some wine, their laughs were mixed with the spring breeze ...

Ironically, my food was dotted with flies.

The February in Barcelona can be as warm as the May in NJ; I did my cafe alfresco yesterday!

With these wonderful tiny cakes ... enjoyed alone, without any company of fly... in the balcony.

Also glad that I made my alfresco on time... today my balcony's covered with an inch of dust; the neighbor above me has just started a big renovation work...

I would recommend only the mini size for this recipe.

The cakelets fill with the fragrance of cardamom and the tangy taste from creme fraiche. They in fact taste much better on the second day. Once coming out from oven, the texture is more similar to muffin's, a bit dry on the top. But after keeping them overnight, and letting the strawberry slices moist the crumb, they turn out to be lovely and tender cakelets on the next day.

Recipe of cardamom cakelets

yield : about 24 cakelets (I used 2" or 5cm tartlet pan)

• 1+ 1/2 cups flour
• cardamom seeds from 3 green cardamom pots, finely crushed
• 100 g creme fraiche
• 55g butter, soft, room temperature... plus a bit extra for topping
• 1/2 + 1/4 cup sugar
• egg white from one large egg
• 1/2 cup milk (or less)
• lemon zest from one small lemon
• 6 or 7 strawberries, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• a pinch of salt

How-to

1. Pre-greased and lightly floured the tartlet pans, set aside
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350F
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the cardamom, the salt, the baking powder, the baking soda and the lemon zest. Set aside.
4. In another mixing bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until very light and fluffy. Add egg white, continue to beat for another minute or 2. Incorporate with creme fraiche and the milk.
5. Well combine the flour mixture with the cream mixture. Spoon the batter (it is slightly thick) into the tartlet pan, about 3/4 full.
6. Top the batter with a slice of strawberry, dot with a tiny cube of butter, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top.
7. Bake the cakelets for 15 - 20 minutes, or until they just start turning pale golden.
8. Unmold the cakelets and let them cool off completely on a rack.
9. Keep them in a container, cover, and store in a cool room. Enjoy them on the next day.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------