Are they a cookie? Or are they a mini cake?
Madeleines are techically a cookie, but the batter is cakelike and they also have a spongy, cakelike texture. My baking guru, Dorie Greenspan, calls them "side of the saucer cookies,'' perfect with a cup of coffee or tea, or a flute of Champagne. Bubbly gets my vote. I love their rounded and scalloped shape -- and call them delicious!
I got the bug to bake madeleines last year, after a birthday dinner at Moro's Table in Auburn. One of the desserts offered that evening was a plate of just-baked mini madeleines, dusted with powdered sugar. Our order would take about 15 minutes, our waiter said. No problem, we lingered over wine and ordered coffee. The madeleines were served fresh out of the oven.
A couple days later, I spotted a madeleine pan at Marshalls. It set me back less than $10, so it was meant to be.
Madeleines look fancy, but they're really easy to make. They call for ingredients that most people have in their kitchens right now -- flour, sugar, eggs, butter, baking powder, vanilla extract, confectioners sugar -- and lemon zest. You might not have a lemon on hand (which is why it's a good idea to always keep some lemon zest in the freezer). The recipe is made in stages, which makes it less formidable. Refrigeration of the dough, for at least three hours or up to two days, is essential to giving the madeleines their signature, slightly domed shape, Greenspan says.
I got the bug to bake madeleines last year, after a birthday dinner at Moro's Table in Auburn. One of the desserts offered that evening was a plate of just-baked mini madeleines, dusted with powdered sugar. Our order would take about 15 minutes, our waiter said. No problem, we lingered over wine and ordered coffee. The madeleines were served fresh out of the oven.
Madeleines look fancy, but they're really easy to make. They call for ingredients that most people have in their kitchens right now -- flour, sugar, eggs, butter, baking powder, vanilla extract, confectioners sugar -- and lemon zest. You might not have a lemon on hand (which is why it's a good idea to always keep some lemon zest in the freezer). The recipe is made in stages, which makes it less formidable. Refrigeration of the dough, for at least three hours or up to two days, is essential to giving the madeleines their signature, slightly domed shape, Greenspan says.
Madeleines aren't cookies for mass production and holiday gift-giving. They're best eaten the day they are made and the recipe makes just a dozen, or three dozen mini madeleines. But they would make a great dessert for a holiday dinner, served with a seasonal ice cream from Gannon's Isle or Arctic Island or a scoop of Mercer's Wine Ice Cream. That's how we served them for a recent dinner party, for friends who had never had madeleines or wine ice cream.
Without further ado, here is the recipe:
Traditional Madeleines
From "Baking: From My Home to Yours,'' by Dorie Greenspan
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
Grated zest of one lemon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Working in a mixer bowl, or in a large bowl, rubs the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant (I used a pastry cutter for this). Add the eggs to the bowl. Working with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale, thick and light, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. With a rubber spatula, very gently fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, or for up to 2 days. This long chill period will help the batter form the hump that is characteristic of madeleines.
Getting ready to bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter 12-full size madeleine molds, or up to 36 mini madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Or, if you have a nonstick pan, give it a light coating of cooking spray. If you have a silicone pan, no prep is needed.
Spoon the batter into the molds, filling each one almost to the top. Don't worry about spreading the batter evenly; the oven's heat will take care of that. Bake large madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes and minis for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden and the tops spring back when touched. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and release the madeleines from the molds by rapping the edge of the pan against the counter. Gently pry any recalcitrant madeleines from the pan using your fingers or a butter knife. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to just warm or to room temperature.
If you are making minis and have more batter, bake the next batch(es), making certain that you cool, then properly prepare the pan(s), before baking.
Just before serving, dust the madeleines with confectioners sugar. Makes 12 large or 36 mini madeleines. Store any leftovers in an airtight container (they are not as good the next day).
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