Madelines Food

FRENCH BUTTER CAKES (MADELEINES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter and flour 12 (3 inch) madeleine molds; set aside.
• Melt butter and let cool to room temperature.
• In a small mixing bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and salt at high speed until light.
• Beating constantly, gradually add sugar; and continue beating at high speed until mixture is thick and pale and ribbons form in bowl when beaters are lifted, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Sift flour into egg mixture 1/3 at a time, gently folding after each addition.
• Add lemon zest and pour melted butter around edge of batter. Quickly but gently fold butter into batter. Spoon batter into molds; it will mound slightly above tops.
• Bake 14 to 17 minutes, or until cakes are golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertip.
• Use the tip of the knife to loosen madeleines from pan; invert onto rack. Immediately sprinkle warm cookies with granulated sugar. Madeleines are best eaten the day they're baked. Leftover madeleines are wonderful when dunked into coffee or tea.
• Variation: Chocolate Madeleines: Omit lemon zest. Increase sugar to 1/2 cup. Substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons of the flour; sift into batter with flour.

MADELEINES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• Place sugar and lemon zest a bowl. Using your fingertips, rub sugar and lemon zest together until sugar is moist and fragrant. Add eggs and whisk until mixture is pale and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in honey and vanilla. Alternatively, this can be done in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Gently fold in flour mixture in three additions; fold in melted butter until fully incorporated. Stir in milk. Batter should be smooth and shiny. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter; transfer to refrigerator and let chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Butter and flour a large madeleine pan. Spoon batter into madeleine pan; transfer to refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Place a heavy, large baking sheet in oven; preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place madeleine pan on preheated baking sheet. Bake until golden and big bumps on top spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Remove pan from oven and immediately release madeleines from pan by rapping pan on counter. If any stick, use a butter knife or fingers to help release. Let cool on a wire rack.

MADELEINES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6½ and butter eight holes of a madeleine tin (if you have a six-hole tin you'll need to bake in two batches). Beat the egg, sugar and honey together using an electric whisk until pale, fluffy and tripled in volume. Add the flour and a small pinch of salt, and finally mix in the melted butter.
• Spoon the mixture into the buttered holes of the madeleine tin and bake for 8-10 mins or until puffed up and golden. Turn out onto a cooling rack while you cook a second batch if using a smaller tin. Best eaten warm from the oven but will keep in an airtight container for up to two days.

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.

MADELEINES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour twenty-four 3-inch Madeleine molds.
• In a medium bowl beat eggs, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and satiny.
• Sift together the flour and baking powder. Sift one-fourth of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, gently fold in. Fold in the remaining flour by fourths. Then fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into the prepared molds, filling 3/4 full.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the top s spring back. Cool in molds on a rack for 1 minute. Loosen cookies with a knife. Invert cookies onto a rack and cool. Sift confectioners' sugar over the tops or melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and dip the tips in the chocolate. Store in an airtight container.