adeleines
were made famous by Marcel Proust in his
novel 'Remembrance of Things Past' in which he wrote: "She sent out for one of
those short, plump little cakes called 'petites madeleines', which look as
though they had been moulded in the fluted scallop of a pilgrim's shell....... An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses....".
Of course, after reading this passage we are all curious about and want to taste these little cakes. History dates their beginnings to the 18th century in the French town of Commercy, in the region of Lorraine.
The story goes that a girl name Madeleine made them for Stanislaw Lezczynski,
Duke of Lorraine, who loved them so much that he then gave some to his daughter,
Marie, the wife of Louis XV. Their popularity grew from that point on and
if we fast forward to today we know that they are now enjoyed in many countries
around the globe. Madeleines are
made with a genoise batter (sponge) which is a combination of butter, sugar,
eggs, flour, and are traditionally flavored with lemon or orange flower water.
What makes these little cakes so enticing is that the batter is poured into
special oval shaped molds with ribbed indentations that gives them their classic shell
shape. So whether you enjoy them plain or dipped in your tea or coffee,
these small petit fours sec make the perfect afternoon treat.
First, melt the butter and
allow it to cool while you make the batter.
In a small bowl place
the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until well blended.
In the bowl of
your electric
mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed until the mixture has
tripled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted (about 5
minutes). Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
Sift a small amount of flour over the egg mixture and,
using a large rubber spatula,
fold the flour
mixture into the beaten eggs to lighten it. Sift the rest of the flour over the
egg mixture and fold in being sure not to overmix or the batter will deflate.
Whisk a small amount of
the egg mixture into the melted butter to lighten it. Then
fold in the
cooled melted butter in three additions. Cover and refrigerate for at
least 30 minutes, or several hours, until slightly firm.
Position a rack in the
center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Generously
butter two 12-mold madeleine pans. Dust the molds with flour and tap out the
excess. (Could spray pans with Bakers Joy instead.) (Make sure the pans are
well greased or the madeleines will stick and be hard to remove.)
Drop a generous
tablespoonful of the batter into the center of each prepared mold, leaving the
batter mounded in the center. (This will result in the classic "humped"
appearance of the madeleines.)
Bake the madeleines for
11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers spring back
when lightly touched. Do not overbake these cookies or they
will be dry.
Remove the pans from the
oven and rap each pan sharply against a countertop to release the madeleines.
Transfer the madeleines, smooth sides down, to wire racks to cool. The
madeleines are best served the same day but can be stored in an airtight
container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or frozen, well wrapped, for up to
1 month.
Variation:
Lemon-Poppy Seed Madeleines - Substitute 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white
sugar for 2/3 cup white sugar, substitute 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract plus
1 teaspoon finely minced lemon zest
for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and add l tablespoon poppy seeds after adding
butter. Proceed with recipe.
Bittersweet
Chocolate Madeleines - Melt
4 ounces bittersweet or
semi-sweet chocolate (in pieces) in top of double boiler (stainless steel
bowl over a saucepan) until melted. Let cool slightly. Follow the above recipe
but add the melted chocolate to the batter after adding the melted butter.
Proceed with recipe.
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