Madeleines

Tuesday with Dorie

Contributing Baker: Flo Braker

When I made Dorie's Honey-Spiced Madeleines a few years ago I was certain that I would make madeleines often after that because I was pleasantly surprised at how easy they were to make, but for some reason I never got around to making them again until they appeared on this week's Tuesday with Dorie/Baking with Julia schedule. This recipe was so different from Dorie's because you use a ladyfinger génoise batter which gives them a sponge cake taste and texture.

When I made the French Strawberry Cake with the group last year it was the first time I had made génoise and I didn't have a lot of success with it, so this time I decided to use a hand mixer to whip my eggs and egg yolks so I could feel when it was at the right consistency and I can say that it made so much difference. I am going to make that cake again now that I have had success with these madeleines. The only thing I did differently from the madeleine recipe was I let the batter rest for about ten minutes before giving it a gentle stir and spooning it into the madeleine molds. Mine baked in 10 minutes.

My family gobbled these up, but I have to say I was less enamored with them because I prefer more of a buttery, tender crumb texture in a madeleine. Of the two recipes that I have made so far, I prefer Dorie's recipe over this one. I am glad that I made these, however, and now I won't be so intimidated when a recipe calls for génoise batter. 

Katie and Amy of Counter Dog are the hosts this week. You can see their pretty madeleines and the recipe over on their blog.

French Friday with Dorie: Honey-Spiced Madeleines

Fall may have arrived, but our triple digits say that we are still firmly in summer. I am dreaming of crisp fall mornings, warm cozy fires, hot apple cider and pumpkin pie. This week's French Friday with Dorie is a perfect transition recipe in that it has the spices of fall, but also the summer flavors of honey and orange. 

I used local Raspberry Honey in my madeleines which gave them even more of the taste of summer.  These were so easy and fun to make that I can't believe that it was my first time making them. For some reason, I was under the impression these would be difficult, but I was happily surprised that it was not the case at all.

They were perfect with a cup of tea outside on the patio when the cool delta breeze had kicked in later that evening. The taste of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, along with the raspberry honey and orange zest, were summer and fall rolled up together in one delicious bite. The madeleines were a hit with everyone and disappeared very fast. I'm so glad that French Fridays with Dorie got me to finally take my madeleine pans out and use them.

I bought my madeleine pans last summer at a garage sale and had them stored away. The large individual madeleine pans were still sealed in their original packaging. It wasn't until after I washed them and put them back in the bag that I noticed that the packaging didn't say 'madeleine' pans, but 'madelaine' pans. How funny is that?! Needless to say, madeleines will from now on be called madelaines in our home. :)

Please visit the links to see the lovely madelaines that fellow French Fridays with Dorie members made this week. You can find this recipe on pages 408-09 in Around My French Table, but you can also find it online here.