MADELEINES

Easy and delicious –fairly authentic recipe, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Madeleines – these little tea cakes were made famous by Marcel Proust. Enjoy.

 

MAKES: 12

  Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾ cup confectioner’s sugar (plus extra for dusting- optional)

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon of orange

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)

  Directions for Madeleines

• Preheat oven to 350 F.  Generously butter a 12 cup “Madeleine” pan. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and confectioner’s sugar for 5 minutes, until (thick and creamy) and the mixture forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted. Gently fold in the lemon or orange rind and juice, also add vanilla and salt.

• Beginning with the flour mixture, gradually add cooled melted butter in steady stream, beating just until blended.
• Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes, and then carefully spoon into the pan. Tap gently to release any air bubbles.
• Bake for 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn onto a wire rack to cool and dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving (optional)

“Little Tea Cakes” – Madeleine’s

TIP

• You can use a muffin pan for making “Madeleine’s”- preferably with a nonstick coating. The cakes won’t have characteristic ridges and shell shape but they are quite pretty dusted with a little confectioner’s sugar.
• Instead of vanilla, lemon zest or orange you can use coconut, or other flavorings.

 

NOTES

1. A metal mold with scallop-shaped indentations, sold at cookware stores.
2. I’ve even swapped oat flour for a gluten free option and they were unbelievably amazing.

PHOTO CREDIT : Foodiesfeed.com