Madeleines

Madeleines are a delightful French pastry in the shape of a shell. They are a classic and as such, need nothing else with them, but a cup of tea.

I’m not normal, and I know it.

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Most people don’t have a need to recreate everything that they eat, whether at a restaurant, or from a bakery, or something incredibly good from a grocery store, in their own kitchen.

However, I do. Certain foodies and other food bloggers understand this compulsion, but most people think I’m crazy. They say, “Why would you want to go to the trouble of making it when you can buy it?” I have several reasons, but one of them is the fact that it is a challenge. Once I master making whatever it is, I feel that I have accomplished something; it’s another check-mark off my “recipe bucket list”!

As you can probably tell from the photos, I’ve checked “Madeleines” off my list. The Madeleines turned out with crisp edges, yet cake-like inside. There was no “eggy” flavor (which I dislike immensely), so the lemon and vanilla tastes came through instead. I’ve probably made about 10 dozen of these delightful pastries since trying them for the first time, and they’ve always turned out incredibly well and are delicious with a cup of tea!

You will need a special mold/tray to make these; I would recommend having two as it’s rather a pain to only make one dozen at a time. I bought my Madeleine Mold at Sur La Table, but I love this mini sized Madeleine pan and it’s imported from France.

This is the recipe I used from Epicurious.com, but as usual, my directions and photos follow.

UPDATE: since this is one of my earliest posts, today I’m updating my earlier photos and wanted to include that my good friend, Jill Colonna who is a “Macaron Queen” and lives in Paris, has two fabulous cookbooks, Mad About Macarons and Teatime in Paris!

One of Jill’s recipes: Passion Fruit and Lemon Meringue Tarts

She includes many step by step recipes so that you can re-create impressive Parisian pastries in your own kitchen, including Honey, Rose and Green Tea Madeleines (in Teatime in Paris.)

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Madeleines

Yield: 36

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

A classic Madeleine recipe with excellent results.

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Ingredients

• 1 3/4 sticks (14 tbsp) (7 oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, and more to brush molds
• 1 2/3 cups (8 oz) flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 3/4 cup (5 1/2 oz) sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) whole milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp. mild honey

Instructions

1. Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
2. Brush molds with melted butter.
3. Sift together flour and baking powder into large bowl, then whisk in lemon zest.
4. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with a tip of a paring knife, into a smaller bowl (save pod for another use) then add sugar and rub together until vanilla is well dispersed.
5. Whisk in eggs, milk, honey and 1 3/4 cups (7 oz) melted butter, then fold into flour mixture, until just combined.
6. Place a rounded tablespoon of batter into each mold, filling about 2/3 full.
7. Bake on bottom rack for about 5 minutes, then rotate tray 180° and move to top rack for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
8. If the Madeleines don't come out easily, use a knife or small wooden tool to help remove them from the molds. (If you re-use the molds right away, make sure to wash them well, and brush with butter again.)
9. Place on cooling rack and serve as is, slightly warm, or add a light dusting of powdered sugar when cool.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 18 Serving Size: 2 pastries
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 108Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 96mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

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I received a copy of Teatime in Paris, but am under no obligation to write this or promote it in any way. I love the book and the recipes are solid, so I want to share this with my readers.

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