Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Vote for my post on Mom Blog Network

Tuesdays With Dorie: Madeleines



I am so happy that Tara of Smells Like Home chose a cookie for this week's recipe. I love baking cookies. No, no, I adore baking cookies. In my eyes they are the perfect dessert and snack food. It's not like a cake or brownie where you have to cut a piece off or a cupcake that requires special packaging if you want to take one to go. You see, cookies come in single size servings; no slicing, cutting, or silverware necessary. It's just you and that scrumptious cookie. You can have one after you meal or in between your meals. Cookies are perfect for just about every occasion and I don't think I have ever met a person who doesn't like cookies. Cookies are just perfection, plain and simple.

I was very excited when I saw that the recipe for this week was Madeleines. I have never had a madeleine and the closest I have ever come to one is at the counter as I pay for my Starbucks frapp. I had always assumed that this cookie was crunchier and denser than your regular cookie. I was wrong because this cookie was fluffy, light, and spongy. I made mine in a full size madeleine mold and I am not ashamed to say that I ate 8 of the 12 cookies. I was stunned that I ate so many of them, but I couldn't resist them. This is a cookie I definitely recommend everyone trying. And if I don't convince you, make sure to go to the Tuesdays With Dorie website and look through all of the incredible blogs, I'm sure one of those blogs will lure you.

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

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1⁄2 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 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, 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.

Now you've been as close to one as I was before ;-)

32 comments:

Engineer Baker said...

Perfection, plain and simple... with bumps! Jealous!

Gretchen Noelle said...

Wonderful job! It is funny that so many had only seen them at Starbucks before!

CRS said...

You're absolutely right--seeing all these Madelines makes me definitely want to try one!

Anonymous said...

These looks absolutely picture perfect! Wonderful job!

Bumblebutton said...

They are picture-perfect! Nice job! And may I suggest you try Canto 6 on Washington Street in JP--they have lovely pastries. Cannele are my favorite!

Garrett said...

The color and shape looks perfect. I'm jealous!

kimberly salem said...

how perfect! the color and bumps look so nice, i can't believe you havent made them before :)

Rebecca of "Ezra Pound Cake" said...

Gorgeous! I can't believe this is your first batch.

Rebecca
http://www.ezrapoundcake.com

Anonymous said...

They look very professional! Ain't it fun when you can't resist your own cooking?

ostwestwind said...

I am so jealous about these bumps, you made véritable madeleines, congrats

Ulrike from Küchenlatein

Christine said...

Beautiful! Your madeleines came out perfect, spongy and with a bump! I am so jealous!

Sharon said...

I have seen them before, but never tried one. I thought they would be hard and crispy too. Looks like I will have to buy a pan one day.

noskos said...

Great looking madeleines!!

Melissa said...

Yours look perfect!!!

CB said...

Lovely bumps! (that sounds weird! haha). Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

Dianne's Dishes said...

They look fabulous!

mimi said...

look at your humps, so pretty! your madeleines are lovely, i bet they were better than those starbucks kinds!

Linda said...

Bravo on your first attempt at madeleines! They turned out absolutely perfect, with the beautiful bump and all!

Dolores said...

You got *great* bumps! This is also my first experience with madeleines.. and I hope mine turn out half as tasty as yours look!

Stephanie said...

OMG I can't help but laugh at all the bumps/humps posts! You guys have made my day :)

Unknown said...

I've never had madeleines before either but I think you did amazingly well for your first attempt! I love your photos!

Cheryl said...

WOW! Picture perfect! Excellent job on these!

PheMom said...

Look how absolutely perfect yours turned out!! Great job!

Jaime said...

wow, i wouldn't know it was your first time! they look perfect, esp w/their big humps!

L said...

Absolutely perfect.

BAKE-EN said...

Nice madeleines!

When I have more time, I'm going to comment on some of your other posts. I live in Boston too, and I've been meaning to post some of my restaurant experiences.

Heather B said...

I know what you mean about eating them all! I made mini muffins out of them and I think I have 6 of the first 12! lol! Yours look great!

Casa Costello said...

Congratulations on your graduation! Your madeleines look amazing - those bumps! Hx

The Kitchen Vixen said...

they are prettier than Dorie's! Good Job;)

Mari said...

Your madeleines are gorgeous, you did a fab job!

LyB said...

Your madeleines look perfect! Well done!

Jayne said...

Excellent job - those look perfect! And you ate 8 out of 12 - you're my hero!