Madeleines à la Michel

Les madeleines et du thé a chez Michel

My kitchen has been a whirlwind of activity!! I tested Julia’s and the Silver Palate recipes, then came up with my own version.  If you wish to see their recipes, here are the books with page numbers:

David Lebovitz: The Sweet Life in Paris, Lemon-glazed Madeleines, p. 221
Julia Child: The Way To Cook, Madeleines (à la Commercy), p. 448
Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins: The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, Scented Madeleines, p. 109

Thanks to all of these very fine chefs for their wonderful madeleine recipes!! Although I loved all three, I think that David Lebovitz’s recipe came out on top for me: light, fluffy and with a very tender crumb. I liked aspects of all three, though, like the browned butter in Julia Child’s version, and the heady amaretto scent of the Silver Palate version. I tried combining the browned butter and just a few drops of almond extract, which ended up adding an umami, or taste sensation which my friends were crazy for, but couldn’t identify. Thus, the “secret” ingredients! Shhh!!
However, I am not one to keep culinary secrets (most of the time), and am delighted to share my version with you:

Madeleines à la Michel     - makes 20-24 3” madeleines
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus one hour for refrigeration
Preheat oven to 400 deg. F (205 deg. C), rack in upper third of oven

9 T. (135g) unsalted butter, preferably European stye, such as Plugra (less water, more butterfat)
Large bowl filled with ice and water
1T. melted butter mixed with 1T. flour, for buttering the pans
2/3 c. (130g) granulated sugar2
2 large eggs, room temp.
1 1/4c. unbleached white flour (do not use bread flour!)
1 t. baking powder, aluminum-free if you can find it - aluminum causes a  bitter taste()
1/8 t. salt, plus a pinch
2t. fresh lemon juice
grated zest of one lemon, pref. organic
1t. vanilla extract
1/2t. almond extract

Optional Lemon Glaze
2T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
water

1. Cut the butter into pieces and place in a saucepan over med-high heat. Bring to a boil and allow to brown just slightly, to light amber color - watch it carefully, as it will go from golden to a nasty, smoking mess in a heartbeat!! This will ruin your day and the madeleines. Pour into a small glass bowl and immediately place in the icewater, stirring constantly until room temp but still liquid. Set aside.
2. Place eggs in mixer with sugar and salt and beat over med-high speed until thick and lemony, about 5 min. Remove bowl from mixer.
3. Sift flour with baking powder and gently fold into egg mixture with a spatula just until incorporated.
4. Add lemon juice, zest, vanilla and almond extracts to cooled melted butter (if it has solidified, place in microwave for 10 seconds or so, until just melted, but not hot) and stir; fold gently but thoroughly into the batter. Place plastic wrap over bowl and refrigerate at least one hour; you may refrigerate overnight.
5. Brush madeleine molds with melted butter/flour combo and place in freezer or refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400F (205C)  if you haven’t already with rack in upper third of oven.
6.Make yourself a cup of tea of coffee and relax for a few minutes while the pans cool and the oven heats.
7.Using two teaspoons, scoop a mound of batter roughly the size of a small walnut or fig (you will have to eyeball this, but it takes less than you’d think) and plop it into the middle of each mold. Do not smoosh down!! If you are a perfectionist and eyeballing causes you to develop a tic, then by all means try a few sizes and bake them to see what you get! This also gives you the perfect excuse to eat three or four of them.
8. Place in oven and bake 8-10 minutes. If, like moi, you have a crappy electric oven with hotspots which blacken one area whilst leaving another raw, you will have to turn the pans around back to front at around 5 minutes. Remove when lightly golden on top and  edges are nicely browned.
9. Let cool several minutes, then slide off to a cooling rack - this is essential, or you will end up with soggy bottoms as the steam condenses on the underside of each lovely, beautiful madeleine. And nobody loves a soggy bottom!
10. While still warm, this is the time to glaze them if you are going to do so. Mix the lemon juice and powdered sugar, then add water until the glaze is runny but not watery - about the consistency of warm syrup. Dip each madeleine front and back, shaking off excess and place back on rack to cool. Allow to cool completely before storing.

Of course, these are best eaten the day of, but will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container, and freeze extremely well.  A quick pop in the microwave for 5 seconds or so will give you that right-out-of-the-oven taste, but be very careful or they will get tough.

Now, sit down with a nice cup of tea, lime-blossom, if you have it, or your favorite tea, dip your madeleine in the tea and who knows what will come to mind...