Madeleines and Tea

    This past summer, I splurged and bought a madeleine pan. It was a bit of an investment ($35 for a very nice one), but I had always wanted to make them and the pan moved me one step closer. A few weeks ago I had a Julia Child themed dinner party and I quickly baked some madeleines in the afternoon to serve as one of the desserts. I was amazed at how quickly they came together, but I was not entirely happy with the texture. They had a nice buttery orange flavor, but were a little dry and not as delicate as I would prefer. So when I woke up this morning and I knew I had an extra hour today because of setting the clocks back, I thought...it is time to try again. I also promised some of my students who read some Julia Child books for my summer reading project last summer that I would bake them some madeleines, so I had added incentive!

    I  did some online research and found a different madeleine recipe that uses fewer eggs(which although they do hold together the little cakes, can have a tendency to dry them out). They were in the oven ten minutes later and I must say, were much better this time. What I am really waiting for is to get my friend, Eric's recipe. He grew up in France and his madeleines are superb. But until then, these will do. Maybe you want to splurge for a pan and give these a try. You won't be sorry you did.

Madeleines

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

1/2 cup butter( melted)

1 tsp. vanilla

the zest of one ornge( or lemon)

1 1/2 cups cake flour

2 tsp. baking powder

confectioner's sugar (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl mix together your sifted flour and the baking powder and set aside.

Beat eggs in a large bowl until pale yellow in color. Mix in sugar, butter, vanilla and zest until well blended.

Fold the dry ingredients into your egg mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Be sure to mix evenly but do not overmix or your cakes will be too chewy.

Drop by tablespoon into each greased madeline mold. There are 12 in a pan. 

Bake for 8-9 minutes or until the top of each puffy little cake springs backwhen you touch it and the edges look G, B and D. (Golden, brown and delicious.)

Turn your cakes out onto a wire rack to cool and bake the next batch of 12. 

Sprinkle your cakes with a little powdered sugar and enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

yours in baking-

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