French Tarts Classic Madeleines Madelines Little Fluted Cakes Food

CANELéS DE BORDEAUX - FRENCH RUM AND VANILLA CAKES

Steps:

• The day before: boil the milk with the vanilla and butter.
• Take off the heat, allow to cool VERY slightly.
• Mix the flour and sugar together, then add the eggs and egg yolks, pour this mixture in the hot milk.
• Gently mix in order to obtain a fluid and smooth mixture, like a pancake batter, let it cool, then add the rum.
• Place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours to 48 hours maximum.
• When you are ready to bake the caneles: preheat the oven to 250C/495°F.
• Butter the moulds liberally and then sprinkle some sugar in to the moulds.
• Pour the batter in to the buttered and sugared caneles moulds, they should be 3/4 full - NO more.
• Place the moulds on a baking sheet, and cook on high for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 175C/350F and continue cooking for 1 hour at least. (It depends on your oven, it can take up to 1 and a quarter hours!) The tops will have a brown crust when they are ready, and they should still be moist inside.
• Carefully unmould them whilst they are still hot. Allow them to cool.
• Serve with tea or coffee for breakfast, or with a glass of wine or cognac in the late afternoon or evening.

FRENCH MADELEINES

Steps:

• Beat eggs until light yellow in color; add sugar, butter, vanilla, zest and continue mixing.
• Sift flour and baking powder and add to wet ingredients and mix well.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place a tablespoon of batter into each well-greased, madeline mold.
• Bake for 8- 12 minutes or until light golden in color.
• Turn out madelines and cool.
• Dust with confectionery sugar.
• Serve.

HONEY AND ORANGE MADELEINES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C Brush two 12 hole madeleine moulds with melted butter and sprinkle over caster sugar.
• Stir butter and honey in a small heavy based saucepan over a low heat until melted and combined. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool until lukewarm.
• Break eggs into a medium mixing bowl and add the extra sugar and vanilla. Beat with electric beaters until the mixture is very thick and creamy. (This step could take as long as five minutes).
• Double Sift the flour and baking powder and then add it to the egg mixture. Fold in using a large metal cooking spoon. Do this step quickly and only until just combined.
• Add the cooled butter mixture and the rinds. Stir gently until well combined.
• Using a large spoon half-fill the madeleine moulds with the batter' Gentley shake the pans after filling to help settle the mixture.
• Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the cakes are golden and bounce back when lightly pressed with your finger.
• Remove the moulds from the oven and stand for 2 to 3 minutes. WHile still warm, carefully loosen each cake with a small palette knife or table knife'.
• Lay cakes flat side down on a wire rack to cool a little more -- just a few minutes is fine.
• Serve whilst still warm and dust with icing sugar. for up to 5 minutes.
• Madeleines will keep for 3-4 days stored inan airtight container. They are suitable to freeze and should only take a few minutes to thaw.

FRENCH TART'S CLASSIC MADELEINES: MADELINES: LITTLE FLUTED CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C /375°F/ Gas mark 5. Grease and flour 24 Madeleine moulds. (Make sure that you grease and flour the moulds generously, to stop the cakes sticking.).
• In a medium bowl beat eggs, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and satiny. It can take up to 10 to 15 minutes to achieve the right consistency - this is the key to successful Madeleines, so don't take short cuts with this stage!
• Sift together the flour and baking powder. Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, gently fold together. Fold in the remaining flour by fourths. Then fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into the prepared moulds, filling 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the tops spring back. Cool in moulds on a rack for 1 minute. Loosen with a knife. Invert onto a rack and cool. Sift icing sugar over the tops or melt plain chocolate and dip the tips in the chocolate. Store in an airtight container.