Personally, I still am looking for a “perfect” recipe to bake these wonderful cookie/ cake myself! I haven’t gotten there yet!

If you still want to know what I’ve experienced so far, here it goes:

1. Madeleine batter should be rest in the refrigerator for at least one-two hours.

2. Melt butter to get a buttery aroma over a low heat setting, on top of a stove top is recommended. Many recipes suggest to melt butter in a microwave, which I find to be very convenient, but does not yield a nice nutty, buttery aroma in a Madeleine.

3. Madeleine is best when you consume it the same day you bake, or even fresh right out from the oven!

That’s what I’m going to use.

(Maybe someone has already asked about this.)

http://astro.berkeley.edu/~kpeek/madeleines.html

I have an honest to goodness Madeleine addiction. The sad part is that I have never truly tasted one made properly, so even after my addiction I am not sure I am making them right. See, I first read about madeleines in these crazy french books, and then I saw them in cheesy french movies. I was fascinated. Then it seemed like everywhere I looked there was recipe for the darn things. The problem being though that after seeing pan after pan after pan sitting in various discount departments of dozens of stores I never picked one up. So my hunt was rather vigorous. Finally I found a wilton professional line pan. It is really heavy and rather dark. My first batch ( a basic lemon recipe from somewhere it was rather vague) was kind of like chewing on a dry chewy corn muffin. It was wierd because there was no corn! (although I think that would work pretty well now that I think of it) The second batch was more adventerous. Lavender and Lime. They came out oddly softer and heavenly smelling! They also were inedible after a day and turned into tough little speckled rocks.

Most efforts after that were about on par, and I thought I had given up on madelienes. Until I found an interesting recipe in the Ethnic Paris Cookbook. After copying it down on two eight post its because I am a poor college student, I set out to make this green concoction. It had these detailed steps that I really didn’t understand before. It had degrees of where I was to mix, what it was to look like, like an actual recipe! Most before were mix until creamy and foamy. THIS HAD DETAILS!

I am also quite the impatient one, and cleaning that monster kitchenaid is a daunting thought so I tend to do things by hand. With SPOONS. But I used the beast, and cleaned it well quite quickly then put it away. With that sideways glance those cute dogs give I was amazed at the speed I went through that sucker. The recipe not only turned out magnificently dellicate, it also lasted for a day or two.

So…madeleines can suck real easy. I eventually gave up this pan in favor of a lighter colored larger capacity (eighteen) pan from Crate and Barrell that set me back fifteen dollars. I gave up on healthier madeleines and decided that ones with more butter will ultimately last more than one day so you won’t have to force yourself to eat the entire batch in one sitting. Those twelve count recipes rarely make twelve, and if you make them too full they look horrendous. I can usually get about twenty to twenty four fully molded cakes from a batch. Don’t fill them too full, I know this is said plenty before but if the batter is right it will spread a lot and very quickly. Also don’t spread the batter out. Ugly misshapen blob in the middle, and you’re good. It melts and spreads and humps all on it’s own just let it work it’s magic.

Now though I’m trying really hard to make them healthy! Which I don’t think will happen, although I almost got a filled one to work. Hmm…experimentation awaits!

Proust is good for other things, too:

http://kittbo.blogspot.com/search/label/Proust

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Note: If you make miniature madeleines, reduce the baking time to about 7-9 minutes.

First, melt the butter and allow it to cool while you make the batter.

In a small bowl place the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until well blended.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted (about 5 minutes). Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.

Sift a small amount of flour over the egg mixture and, using a large rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the beaten eggs to lighten it. Sift the rest of the flour over the egg mixture and fold in being sure not to overmix or the batter will deflate.

Whisk a small amount of the egg mixture into the melted butter to lighten it. Then fold in the cooled melted butter in three additions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or several hours, until slightly firm.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Generously butter two 12-mold madeleine pans. Dust the molds with flour and tap out the excess. (Could spray pans with Bakers Joy instead.) (Make sure the pans are well greased or the madeleines will stick and be hard to remove.)

Drop a generous tablespoonful of the batter into the center of each prepared mold, leaving the batter mounded in the center. (This will result in the classic “humped” appearance of the madeleines.)

Bake the madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers spring back when lightly touched. Do not overbake these cookies or they will be dry.

Remove the pans from the oven and rap each pan sharply against a countertop to release the madeleines. Transfer the madeleines, smooth sides down, to wire racks to cool. The madeleines are best served the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month.

When serving dust with confectioners sugar.

Variation: Lemon-Poppy Seed Madeleines – Substitute 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar for 2/3 cup white sugar, substitute 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract plus 1 teaspoon finely minced lemon zest for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and add l tablespoon poppy seeds after adding butter. Proceed with recipe.

Bittersweet Chocolate Madeleines – Melt 4 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (in pieces) in top of double boiler (stainless steel bowl over a saucepan) until melted. Let cool slightly. Follow the above recipe but add the melted chocolate to the batter after adding the melted butter. Proceed with recipe.