Merciful God, You are great in compassion and Your tenderness for us is without measure. We ask You to give us today our daily bread, and also provide for the needs of all of Your hungry children around the world. Through Christ Your Son and Our Lord. Amen.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Madeleines




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Last week, for the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, I baked my first batch of Madeleines (the name Madeleine is the French form of Magdalene). I had always been a little intimidated by these sweet treats, thinking they would be difficult to remove from their pan, and I would end up getting five whole cookies from a lot of work. I'm happy to say I was wrong and these yummy little French cakes could not have been easier to make. What a lovely little tea-time treat, or for a dessert -- we enjoyed them with a small dish of frozen vanilla custard. My niece said they tasted like little cloud cakes and she meant that as a really good thing.

I used the recipe found at Catholic Cuisine, and I would not change a thing (but I may go looking for more varieties now that I have a pan). I bought a tin plated steel pan and besides having to wash it between batches (because I only have one pan) it was great to use. I can't wait to make a batch for my son's French teacher when school begins.



Madeleines
makes 24

Printer version

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled



Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Brush each mold with melted butter and dust with flour.

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.

Source: Catholic Cuisine

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What am I doing reading this blog at 10:14 p.m. when my dinner is long dissolved...I am hungry...I don't want to eat anything before bed...I should be in bed...and I really would enjoy a couple or three of these right now. :)