Tea Time

I have always been an advocate of afternoon tea.  Its' a bygone ritual that I feel is due for a revival in contemporary society.  A time to relax a bit, unwind and enjoy a warm freshly brewed cup of tea accompanied by an array of sweet and savory treats.  While our busy schedules may not allow us time for a full daily spread, I did manage to concoct a fabulously textured almond madeline tea cake today that I wanted to share.  Think of it as an introduction to full English tea...

Paleo Almond Madelines

2 large eggs
1/3 cup grade B maple syrup
2 tablespoons grass fed butter, melted
1 teaspoon almond extract*
1/3 cup almond meal
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk your eggs until they become slightly frothy
- Add maple syrup, melted butter and almond extract, continuing to whisk
- In a separate bowl, combine almond meal, arrowroot starch, tapioca flour, baking soda and salt
- Slowly add your dry ingredients to your wet, mixing well until fully incorporated into a loose batter
- Spoon your batter into a greased madeline pan, recipe yields 12 madelines
- Bake for 12 minutes
- Remove from pan and allow cakes to cool on a wire rack

*Almond extract may be substituted for a flavor of your choosing
**For additional options, try adding orange zest, cocoa powder or dipping the cakes into melted chocolate