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MADELEINE...Con't...

Yes, that's right, I have more to say about madeleines. This time it's the tangible ones, the sweet little cakes...as opposed to the sweet little sights or sounds that bring on a keen sense of nostalgia.

Isn't this a delightful word?! Why, madeleines could be a madeleine for you if you grew up eating them! And what if your Aunt Madeline was the one who used to bake them for you. Ohhh...and if you remembered putting on your little pinafore and a ribbon in your hair and skipping over to her house with your book about Madeline, so that she could read it to you while you nibbled on her fresh-baked goodies? A Madeline madeleine with Aunt Madeline's madeleines! (Please stop me, I'm gorging on madeleines!*)

So what more do I have to say about the madeleines that one eats? Well, that I like them, of course!

And...here is a surprising turn of events...I made some for you!


Yes, believe me! I just pulled them from the oven, and when I'm done showing you the recipe in exquisite detail, you'll be hurrying to add a "madeleine baking pan" to your Christmas wish list (no, it's not too late!)

Okay, here we go:


I do nothing in the kitchen without donning my apron, so that's always my first step! You can suit yourself (in a suit, if you wish).

Now for the ingredients: A stick and a half (3/4 cup) of unsalted butter (6 ounces) and three-fourths cup of white flour...

Followed by two-thirds cup of sugar, four large eggs, vanilla and a lemon. Oh, and a pinch of "sea salt" if you want to be a stickler (Any kind of salt, if you're one who'll settle.)

Pull out a little pan and put the butter on medium heat to melt and brown. This step takes a little while, so you could do that pronto and then gather the other ingredients while it browns if you wish to bustle around and be real efficient (unlike this madeleine-maker).


It's going to be about ten or fifteen...maybe even twenty minutes to bring the butter to a nice, nutty-scented degree of browness. You'll know.

You can take your eye off the browning butter long enough to get out a sieve, a paper towel and a bowl...if you're an astute baker, you'll know it's to clarify the butter.


But it doesn't matter a smidgeon whether you know the why or wherefore, because you can simply do this...pour the butter through the paper towel-lined sieve.


Then remove the paper towel,
and throw it away...along with all the solids that are left behind in the pan or the towel.

After which you let the butter sit there and cool to room temperature, while you get crackin' on the other ingredients:

Give them a good beating...maybe three minutes, until they're all whipped into a frenzy...

When they're frothy and beautiful, pour on the sugar...in a nice, fine flow while beating...

and beat until luscious looking...oo-la-la!

We're not done with yellow just yet. Zest your lemon.

All of it.
And make a gift of it--the zest-- to the eggs and sugar:

Gentle, be gentle.
Do that origami thing with the zest and then with the flour.


Oops...Before you forget, add some vanilla...about a teaspoon should do it.

By now the b-butter has b-bided its time. It's cool. Go ahead...b-butter the b-batter.


Tread lightly...this is your final step. Keep folding 'til you've got a gorgeous smooth madeleine mixture.

Which you'll then put into the newly received Christmas pan that you've prepped with butter or spray stuff (pam) and a flour dusting.

You can fill the cups about two-thirds full, or three-fourths, even three-fifths or thirteen-sixteenths if you wish...

Isn't this getting exciting? Set them into the 350 degree oven and watch them nervously. The little madeleines have a mind of their own! They may be golden brown in ten minutes, or eleven or twelve, or another minute or two.

Before you know it, they'll arrive...in two straight lines!
Tumble them out promptly (or pry, if things don't go well)...

When you've all had time to cool down a little,


sprinkle with powdered sugar...(the little cakes, but you might look pretty sprinkled as well!)


And now I presume you know the next step... have yourself a merry little madeleine!


( I ate three)

ps...here's something else you can do with them if you've got a little chocolate handy (you do, don't you?!)...


(Okay, okay...I ate seven!)
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