Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Tuesdays with Dorie - Traditional Madeleines

It's time again for Tuesdays with Dorie! This week's recipe, Traditional Madeleines, was chosen by Tara of Smells Like Home. I was really excited about this week's recipe, because I've always wanted to make Madeleines. I lived in Spain for much of elementary and junior high school, and we always used to buy bags of Spanish Magdalenas. They're much like Madeleines, but in mini cupcake form rather than shells.

I bought a Madeleine pan a couple years ago in Japan, but have never used it until now. It's about time, right?

The batter was ridiculously easy to mix up, with just a few simple ingredients. It needs to chill at least three hours, or up to two days, so there's tons of flexibility with this recipe. Mix up the batter when you have a few spare minutes, then come back to it sometime within the next two days, and you're good to go. They bake very quickly, too, just over 10 minutes, so the active time spent on this recipe is really minimal.

My pan only holds six Madeleines, which is probably a good thing, since I didn't know exactly how full to fill them. Turns out I filled the first pan too high. Woops. I baked them for 11 minutes, not being sure exactly how brown they were supposed to get. And in spite of very generously buttering and flouring the pan, they still stuck like you wouldn't believe. I whacked them against the counter and everything, but they didn't budge. Big bummer. I chalked it up to it being a brand new pan.

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You may want to shield your eyes. This ain't pretty.

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The carnage!

The second batch, however, turned out beautifully! I cooked them for the full 14 minutes, figuring that that may have been part of the reason the first batch stuck as much as they did. And this time when I rapped the pan on the counter, to my delight, the Madeleines popped right out. Woohoo!

Everyone has been talking about the characteristic bump on the non-scalloped side of the Madeleines. I think mine had it. I mean, they weren't flat or anything, and they did bump up nicely on that side, but I don't know if there was something more I should have been shooting for. No matter, though, because they tasted incredible. Soft inside, with a little crispiness on the outside. Absolutely amazing. I can't wait to make these again!

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Traditional Madeleines
From Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours


2/3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) (85g) 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, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. 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. (For convenience, you can spoon the batter into the madeleine molds, cover and refrigerate, then bake the cookies directly from the fridge; see below for instructions on prepping the pans.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 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 (or pans), give it a light coating of vegetable cooking spray. If you have a silicone pan, no prep is needed. Place the pan(s) on a baking sheet.

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 cookies

Serving: Serve the cookies when they are only slightly warm or when they reach room temperature, with tea or espresso.

Storing: Although the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, the madeleines should be eaten soon after they are made. You can keep them overnight in a sealed container, but they really are better on day 1. If you must store them, wrap them airtight and freeze them; they’ll keep for up to 2 months.

45 comments:

Engineer Baker said...

That second batch looks amazing! Nice and brown and crispy! I always worry and underbake my first batch of madeleines :)

Christine said...

Your second batch looks awesome! You got a bump! Good for you! I overfilled the first batch and mine baked for more then 10 minutes...guess my oven is tempermental!

steph- whisk/spoon said...

perfect second batch! they look great!

ostwestwind said...

Nice brown and crispy, the second batch looks perfect.

Ulrike from Küchenlatein

Carrie said...

Hey the second batch looks awesome and I am confident that the first was a delicious mess. Great job!

Garrett said...

It's a great looking second batch. As for the first...well, the way I see it, if they come out too ugly for you to serve anyone else, you just have to eat them yourself :-)

Gretchen Noelle said...

They look great! Well, the second batch anyway! Spain? Japan? Wow!

PheMom said...

Oh, poor little madeleines that didn't come out of the pan, don't worry - more for the baker! I'll bet they were all really yummy though!!

CRS said...

They look great and they sound like they were really tasty too!

Anonymous said...

The second batch is adorable! Any help y'all need cleaning up the first batch, you just let me know.

Casa Costello said...

Lovely bumps! Hx

Bumblebutton said...

Your first batch looks like mine! The second batch looks just perfect!

The Food Librarian said...

Looks great! Great definition in the second batch. And I've been there like you on the first batch too!

Anonymous said...

They look fantastic. I plan to try again, and soon.

Melissa said...

I hope you still ate the first batch!

CB said...

The first batch carnage made me LOL but that 2nd batch is perfecto! Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

noskos said...

Your second batch looks fabulous!

Anonymous said...

Your 2nd batch looks fabulous!

mimi said...

ooh, your second batch came out lovely! love how golden they look.

Lori said...

Yes your second batch did come out perfect. It was a delicious recipe wasnt it?

Anonymous said...

Oh! I love them! The second batch came out perfect, and I'll bet the first one tasted just as good right?
And I loved your lemon cake post too!

marae said...

yay for a 2nd batch...the first one was probably really tasty going down though.

Sherry Trifle - Lovely Cats said...

Lovely Madeleines - I too had trouble with getting them out of the pan but saved 8 of the 12. Lovely job.

Jaime said...

second times the charm, right? :) good job

LyB said...

They look beautiful! My first madeleine recipe also stuck to the pans, that's why I went all out on the butter and flour this time! :)

BAKE-EN said...

Your madelines look great! Mine only took 11 minutes to bake, but my pan was a bit flimsy and the edges were getting really dark.

Heather B said...

Great job! The second batch looks amazing!

Susan @ SGCC said...

Perfect second batch! They look lovely. Great job!

Annemarie said...

I'm so glad that second batch turned out! THey look amazing.

Shirlie said...

So pretty! I guess practice makes perfect!

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous! So glad you got some use out of your pan. I had to dig for mine!

Dolores said...

Your second batch convinces me that I didn't bake mine long enough either. Ah well, it's all a learning process. And they *taste* great. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Anonymous said...

i've been wishing to make choc madeleines for some time now. means i have to get a madeleine tray first! these look lovely. and your blog's wicked :)
thanks for stopping by.

x

Jacque said...

Glad to hear you were triumphant in the end. The second batch looks perfect!x

Anonymous said...

I do believe I see a bump there!
Great problem solving skills with the sticking issue! :)

April said...

The second batch looks great!

vibi said...

Great job Cheryl!
You know, even if everyone says the second batch looks awesome... I'm sure the first one was just as good so I'll simply add: I'm sure you are glad to have learnt how to bake them, now that you know how delicious they are... broken or not.
BRAVO!

Chris said...

I want a perfect second batch like yours! (But in my case, it will be a zillionth batch - ha!) lovely!

Liliana said...

Your madeleines came out lovely!

I had to bake second batch too.

Mari said...

Like they say, if at first you don't succeed...

The Kitchen Vixen said...

The second batch looks wonderful! You just needed a practice run;)

Katrina said...

wow, the second batch looks so buttery and nicely browned. Glad they came out well for you!

Mumsy said...

Great job, Cheryl! I love the golden brown edges. Yum, yum, yummy.

kimberly salem said...

way to get back on the horse, the second batch looks gorgeous! :)

Jayne said...

Second batch looks beautiful - though I'm sure the carnage still tasted good! :)