Madeleines

The last time Y. was in the city he bought me a madeleine pan, which made it my turn to take a stab at baking the fabled cookie. Or is it a cake? Either way it is a good idea to get one's first attempt at madeleines out of the way. I was pleased enough with my maiden madeleine voyage. Although they sadly did not form the coveted hump on their backs and two batches stuck badly to the molds, the ones that survived were orangey and buttery and delicious.

It might have something to do with the diminutive size of my apartment and the similarly tiny dimensions of my oven, but my baked goods seem to be getting smaller and smaller. Noticing this trend, Y. got me a madeleine pan that produces very tiny cakes. I'm not sure if this could have had an effect on the forming of bumps (or not) on my cakes, but it did cross my mind as a possibility. Or maybe in trying so hard not to incorporate too much air into my batter, I didn't incorporate enough. Who knows? I'm sure, however, that it was not the fault of the recipe and when I next attempt it I will learn more.

Madeleines

The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts way

• 125 g sugar
• 110 g flour, sifted
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• zest of one orange
• 2 large eggs, room temp.
• 110 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add the zest. With a whisk, mix in the eggs until just incorporated, being careful not to add too much air to the batter. Stir in the melted butter. Cover the batter and refrigerate for one hour.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease and flour your madeleine molds.
• Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip and pipe a dollop of pastry into each mold. Do not overfill the molds.
• Bake for about 7 minutes. The cooking time will vary according to how big or small your molds are. Cakes should spring back in the center when lightly touched. Carefully remove madeleines from molds and allow to cool on wire racks.

Enjoy the first one warm out of the oven.

Aren't you proud? I managed to write about madeleines without once mentioning Proust. Oh, dear, I blew it...