It’s Furious Balancing

She sent for one of those squat, plump little cakes called “petites madeleines,” which look as though they had been moulded in the fluted valve of a scallop shell. — Marcel Proust, Combray, Swann’s Way, In Search of Lost Time (vol. 1)

I feel myself slipping back into the need to re-read Proust. Time Regained arrived in yesterday’s mail (thank you amazon.com.uk!); but I’m due for a blog post, so it’s time for the madeleine recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour¹
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract²

Utensils, pans, etc. :

• Madeleine pan
• KitchenAid-type stand mixer (preferred) or hand-held mixer
• Wire whisk
• Large rubber spatula

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

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).³ Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.

The beginning of the egg beating (click for photo)

The end of the egg beating (clicky, clicky)

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 over-mix 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 Fahrenheit. Generously butter two 12-mold madeleine pans. Dust the molds with flour and tap out the excess.⁴

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 or they will be dry.

Remove the pans from the oven and rap each pan sharply against a tabletop to release the madeleienes. Say in your best John Cleese voice, “Release the madeleines!” Transfer, smooth side down, to wire racks to cool.

Madeleines are best served the same day, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

* * * * *

1. I really think cake flour is required here. I used all-purpose flour and thought it the finished produce was far too stiff. Cake flour has less gluten and makes up a much more delicate pastry. If you’re not a flour snob, use all-purpose, by all means. Just don’t say that I didn’t warn you. [↩]
2. I’m addicted to our little bottle of perpetual vanilla. I bought these lovelies for for my office mates and family last Christmas — and got one for ourselves, too. [↩]
3. For me, this was closer to 15 minutes. I only have a little handheld mixer. Mom bought my twin brother a KitchenAid stand mixer the same year she bought me my Zojirushi rice cooker. I adore my rice cooker, but I do envy that KitchenAid [↩]
4. I have a non-stick madeleine pan, so I just used a little bit of cooking spray and skipped the “dust the molds” bit entirely. [↩]

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 8:44 am and is filed under Proust. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.