How to Make Madeleines

Many people say that one either loves culinary (the savory stuff) or they love pastry (the sweet stuff) - that can't love or do both; but, I tend to disagree. By default, I tend to cook more than I bake, so, when the opportunity strikes to make some sort of pastry treat, a little sparkle in my eye appears. For me, when I get to pick up a piping bag - whether it is for piping truffles, putting icing on a cake, or batter into a pan - I get a bit giddy.

Madeleines are shell-shaped, tiny French cakes with a long history. These soft and moist cakes have delicious, lightly-crisped edges. While there are a few different methods in which to make these, this recipe is quick to put together and can be one of those "go to" treats when you unexpectedly have company coming. They are also a great hostess gift or can help to cheer someone up. We actually took a batch of these to Dawn's little niece who is currently fighting cancer. She's definitely a positive, little trooper and she was so pleased to be able to pass them around to share with everyone!

While I have learned to let go of recipes in the culinary world, with baking I get to feed that part of my personality that loves to measure, be exact and follow certain rules. It never ceases to amaze me how many different things can be made out of butter, sugar and flour. Once you learn a bit about the function of ingredients and how they produce certain textures and flavors, you have a better understanding of the whole process of baking, so there's no need to be afraid of it. It's just like learning a new cooking technique. Madeleines are best served warm, so they are one of those pastries that you don't have to wait for them to cool completely before diving in (and that's a good thing, as it's almost impossible to wait for them). This easy-to-make batter keeps well in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days so you can have freshly-baked madeleines any time. Click on the link to view the full text recipe for Madeleines. Happy Baking!

Tagged as: [ pastry ]