Perfect Madeleines
The Madeleine is a classic French pastry known for its distinctive shell-like shape. While there isn't necessarily a single "secret" to achieving the perfect Madeleine, here are a few tips that can help you make them:
Properly butter and flour the Madeleine molds: It's essential to generously butter the molds and dust them with flour to prevent the Madeleines from sticking. Chilling the molds until batter is ready.
Chill the batter: After preparing the batter, allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. This step helps the Madeleines develop their characteristic hump while baking.
Preheat the oven. Ensure that your oven is properly preheated to the recommended temperature before baking. This step helps create the initial heat shock necessary for the hump formation.
Don't overmix the batter: When combining the ingredients, be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can lead to dense Madeleines. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are just combined.
Tap the pans: After filling the molds with the batter, tap the pans gently on the countertop to release any air bubbles and level out the batter.
Bake immediately: Once the batter is ready and the molds are filled, place them in the preheated oven immediately. Avoid leaving the batter sitting for too long before baking.
Pay attention to baking time and temperature: Follow the recipe's instructions regarding the baking time and temperature. Typically, Madeleines are baked at a relatively high temperature for a short time to create the hump.
Remember, achieving the perfect Madeleine may require a bit of practice and experimentation with your oven and recipe. Enjoy the process and have fun baking!
Ingredients:
100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
100g granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
200g white chocolate
red and green oil based colour
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 220c. Grease and flour a Madeleine pan and chill in the fridge.
In a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract together for 8-10 minutes until the mixture becomes lighter in colour and thicker consistency.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, using a whisk to gently mix until a smooth batter forms. Finally gently fold in the cooled melted butter until combined. Do not over mix!
Cover the batter and refrigerate for at least 2 hour. (You can also prepare the batter and chill overnight) Chilling the batter helps the Madeleines achieve their characteristic hump.
Once chilled, spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared Madeleine pan, filling each mold about 3/4 full.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake at 425 °F (220 °C) for 3 minutes. This initial high temperature will help create the characteristic bump on top of the madeleines.
After 3 minutes, switch off the oven but leave the madeleines inside for an additional 7 to 8 minutes. This resting time will further enhance the development of the bump.
Once the resting time is complete, turn the oven temperature to 320 °F (160 °C).
Continue baking the madeleines at this lower temperature for an additional 2-3minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through. Be careful to not overbake the Madeleines as they will be dry.
Remove the Madeleines from the oven and let them cool in the pan for a couple of minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt the white chocolate on a medium power for 30 sec intervals until melted. Set aside.
Colour the chocolate with oil based food colouring such as colour mill. Red & Green.
Chill the red cherry pattern for 10minutes and then continue piping the green stalk and leaves. Chill again for 10minutes.
Add a spoonful of white chocolate and lay the pattern side of the Madeleines on top of the chocolate and press gently down to ensure the chocolate is spread evenly.
Chill the Madeleine pan in the freezer for 20 minutes. Once chilled the Madeleines will lift easily off the tin to reveal the prettiest cherry pattern on the chocolate.
Enjoy these delightful Madeleines with a cup of tea or coffee! They are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.