How to prepare vanilla and chocolate madeleines at home, shell-shaped butter cakes in the original French recipe

If you have read the novel 'In Search of Lost Time’ by Proust madeleines I'm more than normal to you french butter dessert a shell shape. They are the demonstration of how much the food be powerful engine capable of triggering memories, sensations, memory. A madeleine dunked in tea in Proust's novel, the packaged pasta for Inspector Montalbano, the pasta timbale for the Prince of Salina. It doesn't matter what food it is, because every bite is closely linked to our life.

Literature, philosophy and psychology aside, today I give you the original french madeleines recipe in two variants: at the vanilla et al chocolate dark. The recipe is taken from the full-bodied and indispensable volume ‘Patisserie‘ di Christophe Felder, which I recommend to all fans of French pastries and beyond. I'll let you be there variant of both vanilla and dark chocolate madeleines, but if you prefer you can also replace vanilla with it lemon zest o di grated orange for a citrus taste.

The madeleines, born in Lorraine and loved all over the world

To prepare the madeleines, which are sweets originating from the Lorraine region and precisely from Commercy, in France, you only need a few simple ingredients. The basic recipe dates back to 1755 and according to tradition the dessert was invented by the French cook of King Stanislaus of Poland, whose name was Madeleine. Obviously they then spread first throughout France and then throughout the world.

Tips and tricks for making perfect madeleines at home

Il procedure per prepare perfect madeleines It's very simple but you must have three precautions: the first is to use a “browned butter“, or a hazelnut butter (I'll explain how to do it in the recipe). The second is let the raw dough rest pbefore cooking in order to cool it as much as possible. The third is cook the madeleines for exactly 12 minutes, so that the central part has risen (la ‘gobbetta’) remains lighter than the edges, crunchy and almost caramelized.

I remind you that you can also use the madeleine dough as a base for cakes. Is’ a compact and soft base perfect both for filling and for decorating with creams. For example, take a look at my recipe for MADELEINE PIE WITH CHEESE AND STRAWBERRIES.

Another advice dispassionate I give you is to buy one metal mold per madeleine SMALL o BIG and not to use silicone molds instead. In fact, metal molds, they are excellent conductors of heat and allow better leavening of the madeleines, given the short cooking time. Especially the light one caramelization of the edges which is typical of these French desserts. A bit’ as is the case with BORDEAUX CANELS which must be browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

And if you love French desserts I recommend you also try the CHERRY CLAFOUTIS and the FAR BRETON based on dried plums, super creamy and very simple to prepare. And now I wish you a good day.

VANILLA AND CHOCOLATE MADELEINES

Portions: 8 Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 12 minutes 12 minutes

Nutrition facts: 250 calories 20 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 16 voted )

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Ingredients

• FOR THE VANILLA MADELEINES

140 grams butter

140 grams of double zero flour

2 eggs

20 ml whole milk

liquid vanilla extract

90 grams caster sugar

20 grams of Millefiori liquid honey

a pinch of salt

6 grams of baking powder (a teaspoon)

butter to grease the molds

• FOR THE CHOCOLATE VARIANT

20 grams of bitter cocoa powder

Procedure

The preparation of madeleines is simple, but you don't have to skip any steps, including resting the dough which is fundamental. The madeleines must rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature.

First, put the butter in a saucepan and melt it over medium heat, stirring frequently, until you obtain a hazelnut-colored butter with an intense aroma. Filter the butter through a sieve and let it cool: it should still be melted but not boiling.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add salt, vanilla and sugar, then mix everything with a hand whisk. When sugar is incorporated, and you have obtained a homogeneous mixture, add the honey while continuing to beat with the whisk.

Sift the flour with the yeast (if you want to make them with cocoa, also add bitter cocoa powder) and incorporate the powders into the egg and sugar mixture, always beating with the whisk by hand until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

Add the warm hazelnut butter and mix until you obtain a thick mixture, smooth and shiny. Cover the madeleine dough with cling film and let it rest for two hours at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 210 degrees static. Carefully butter the metal molds for madeleines. Fill the molds (not to the edge, because the cakes will puff up in the oven) and cook for 3 minutes: during this first cooking the famous central 'hump' should form. Then open the oven to disperse some of the heat, close it and lower the temperature to 170 degrees and cook for another 9 minutes. Remove the madeleines from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before turning the cakes out. Bon appétit!