by Dorie Greenspan
I'll rarely pass up a recipe if lemon is involved. Citrus and I, we go together like...
A little advanced planning is needed in making these little teacakes. The batter needs to chill for at least one hour, then after being placed in the molds, they are chilled for an additional hour before baking.
I came across an article on The Kitchn, where they grease the molds with melted butter that has flour mixed into it. Brilliant. It's like homemade Pam Baking Spray (which I have never tried - but hear it works well). My madeleines slipped right out of the pans.
The ratio was three tablespoons melted butter with one tablespoon flour stirred in. Just don't think that you can put it in one of those Misto sprayers; remember, butter hardens as it cools, and will clog your sprayer.
The recipe states it yields twelve madeleines. However, there was enough batter to make extra, in which I used my mini fluted molds, which are always fun to use, though not always so much fun to clean.
I did not quite achieve the prominent hump that madeleines are known for. It may be due to the fact I skipped the additional chilling period, after the batter was placed in the molds. I did place my buttered molds in the freezer while the batter was chilling the first hour, then placed the filled molds in the freezer, maybe ten minutes, while the oven pre-heated.
The madeleines are glazed (optional) with a simple mixture of confectioners sugar and lemon juice. I like that Dorie has you place the madeleines back in the oven (500°F) for a minute or two, just until the glaze starts to bubble; it gives the teacake a nice glossy sheen. Alternatively, you can give them a little dusting of confectioners sugar.
I glazed some, dusted a few with confectioners sugar, and left some plain.
These madeleines turned out light and spongy, with a slight lemon essence; not the intense lemon flavor I was hoping for and expecting, as I do when I read "lemon" in the title of a recipe. Still, these made a tasty treat that would go nicely with a cup of tea, or even a glass of bubbly, I hear.
Tuesdays with Dorie is an online baking group. We are making our way through Baking with Julia and Baking Chez Moi, both by Dorie Greenspan.
We have been asked not to post the recipes. You can find this recipe on page 212 of Baking Chez Moi, or by clicking here to be be directed to WNYC where they have the recipe posted on their site.
You can check out my fellow bakers results by clicking here for a list of their links.
