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Madeleines, A Literary Cookie

October 26, 2017 by hannahabaffy 1 Comment
Madeleines

For those of you who have tasted a madeleine, it may come as somewhat of a surprise to hear that one bite of this simple, albeit delicious cake, could summon forth a deluge of memory that would result in the longest novel ever written. At 1,267,069 words set into 7-volumes and reportedly never finished À la Recherche du Temps Perdu or Remembrance of Things Past, was the loquacious Proust’s crowning achievement in an already sterling career.

“I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure invaded my senses.”

If a spoonful of tea-soaked madeleine crumbs can do all this for a 17th century Parisian neurotic, imagine what two or three freshly baked ones can do for you?

Origins of the Madeleine

Long before Proust was thrown into paroxysms of memory by a cookie, the madeleine was already well established among the French people. There are several theories as to how the madeleine was first made and gained its subsequent popularity. Many claim the madeleine rose to prominence via Stanislas Leczinski, the deposed king of Poland. Leczinski, the king without a kingdom, had sunk into a fit of depression after being given the monarchical boot. In an attempt to raise the spirits of the morose king, his chefs worked tirelessly to create incredible sweets and cakes hoping the sugar might elevate his sunken spirits. However it was not the fantastical or extravagant that caught the eye of Stanislas, but the simple madeleine. Having developed quite a penchant for the small shell-shaped cakes, Leczinski inquired into their maker, a woman by the name of Madeleine. Enthusiastic at the proposition of a ceremony, Stanislas, with much royal aplomb, conferred her name upon the cookie.

A Literary Cookie

Despite the true origin of the cake, madeleines had been around for sometime before Proust, however, until the author waxed eloquent about the bivalve shaped cake it’s hard to say how common they were outside of France. As Marcel’s literary stamina began to receive recognition across Europe, so did the madeleine. The charming little scalloped cakes were elegant and now with their added literary clout unstoppable. Already commonplace in France they now spread across Europe and can still be seen today in some of the finest patisseries.

Like anything in France involving food, there is a certain amount of ritual involved in the eating of madeleines. The cookie is at it’s finest when eaten alongside a cup of hot tea ideally the slightly lime flavored Tilleuil. Citrusy on its own, the tea brings out the lemon essence in the cake and the marriage of flavor has the power to ‘invade the senses with exquisite pleasure’.

 

Lemon + White Chocolate Madeleines

Ingredients

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted

1 ½ cups cake flour,

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons lemon zest

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

⅓ cup white chocolate, melted

 

Instructions

–It seems that the simplest things are always the most difficult to perfect. No bells and whistles to distract from flaws or mistakes. The Madeleine, one of the simplest pastries is no exception to this rule. Small, delicate, and finicky, there are many things that can go wrong when preparing madeleines and so it is best to go into the kitchen well-prepared and armed with a few tricks to produce the perfect madeleine.

Butter two madeleine pans and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer add eggs, yolks, sugar, vanilla, zest, and the fresh lemon juice.

With the whisk attachment, whisk on med-high for five minutes, or until pale in color and thickened slightly.

Mix in the melted butter*

Madeleines

–Every madeleine calls for a relatively large amount of melted butter. By browning the butter, you add a nuttiness that heightens the flavors and unleashes wells of repressed memories at the first bite. However browning butter can be tricky, and can very quickly go from just toasted to burnt. Those who don’t feel confident in their browning abilities can simply melt the butter. However, I was once told “we must do brave things in the kitchen” so I encourage everyone to at least give it a shot.

 

Using a large spatula fold in the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. When combined set aside to rest for thirty minutes.

To make madeleines you need special scalloped baking trays. I encourage you to buy two as most recipes will produce two dozen and to wash, dry and butter the molds twice quickly becomes tiresome. I used to have the traditional unlined MORA pans but the madeleines could be difficult to remove and were significantly harder to clean. Since then I have upgraded to the nonstick variety, which are a dream to use. I recommend the pans made by Chicago Metallic’s Madeleine Pan

When the batter has finished resting fill your trays 3/4 of the way full

–Some insist that a true madeleine will have a pronounced bump on the back, I personally prefer a more svelte madeleine but who am I to argue with tradition? In order to achieve that height try freezing your madeleine pans prior to filling them and letting the batter rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and if time and patience allow, as long as overnight.

Bake cookies 7-8 minutes rotating halfway through until the edges are crisp. Let cool for several minutes in the pan before removing.

While the madeleines are cooling, heat up the white chocolate on top of a double boiler adding a couple tablespoons of coconut oil if it seems too thick. When the chocolate is thoroughly

Madeleines keep very well sealed at room temperature for 2-3 days.

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About Me

Hi, I'm Hannah. Creator of Milk + Honey and long time curious eater. Join me as I explore the surprising history behind some of the world's most iconic dishes, and figure out the best ways to prepare them.

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Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut butter sandwiched between a crunchy coating of toasted almonds and toffee and a sweet chewy base of dates and oats. Now drizzle that in dark chocolate, and you’ve got yourself these decadent raw chocolate, peanut butter almond bars. 

Vegan, refined-sugar free, and gluten-free, eating responsibly has never felt so indulgent. Get the recipe on the blog this week!
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"By their desserts will I judge them."
•Saveur Food Blog Award Finalist 2019: Best Baking and Sweets

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Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut butter sandwiched between a crunchy coating of toasted almonds and toffee and a sweet chewy base of dates and oats. Now drizzle that in dark chocolate, and you’ve got yourself these decadent raw chocolate, peanut butter almond bars. 

Vegan, refined-sugar free, and gluten-free, eating responsibly has never felt so indulgent. Get the recipe on the blog this week!
The superiority of chocolate, both for health and The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.
-Thomas Jefferson

While not necessarily for the health reasons stated, Jefferson’s prediction has certainly come to materialize, at least in my home.
A debate I had with my husband shortly after makin A debate I had with my husband shortly after making this honey-almond “snack cake”: As we sat around “snacking,” we began to discuss what the real difference was between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes. Banal, yet relevant in the moment. 

This arbitrary mystery resulted in a lot of opinions and by the end of it, several unanswered questions. 

So I put it to you, Instagram Family, what is the real difference between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes? Are the terms so similar as to be inconsequential, or do their comparabilities hide deeper differences? 

The perimeters (at least in my mind) are these: Leftover birthday cake that becomes the next morning’s breakfast would definitely be a snack cake. Meaning a snack cake, while sounding laid-back, could be a slice of sophisticated dacquiouse or some other luxurious dessert.
Whereas a snacking cake would be something more along the lines of a sheet cake (like the classic chocolate Texas variety). More than a brownie but less than a layer cake. Something you could take a fork to but would probably just pick up with your hands. 

In short, any cake can be a snack. But not every cake is a snacking cake.

Thoughts?
When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocol When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocolate or carrot,’ which do you choose?
Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ? Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ?
Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan a Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan and pine nuts, and packing a garlicky punch, our braided pesto bread is the ideal way to use up your garden’s bounty. 

Also it looks impressive. Pull-out all the stops and impress your family and guests with this ultra-easy and rewarding loaf.
Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Mesoamericans are remembered as the original chocolate lovers. Considered a sacred beverage among them, cocoa was used during celebrations and religious ceremonies and was thought to lend the drinker strength.

It is said that Montezuma kept a massive storehouse of cocoa beans, and drank 50 golden cups of the stuff a day, decreeing that only those men brave enough to face battle would be permitted to join him in drinking it. Chocolate eventually becoming a regular part of military rations among the Aztecs. 

The belief that chocolate was a powerful elixir that lent its drinker extra virility and strength seems to have made its way into European and US thinking as well and may explain the application of including chocolate or pressed cakes of cocoa powder in US military rations, an operation practiced all the way up to the Vietnam war. 

With piles of historical evidence it would stand to reason that chocolate must be good for me, so I’m going to start making a regular habit of indulging in it. Each bite imbuing me with strength, vim, and vigor. Don’t stay a weakling all your life, join me in making these chocolate pot de creme today and start eating more chocolate.
A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge during Prohibition, and one of our favorite forms of solace during the Great Depression. One might argue that without the aid of ice cream we might not be here today.
"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our do "Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." — Jane Austen
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