Proust has never been on my reading list. I am only familiar with the author’s À la recherche du temps perdu, which holds the Guinness World Record for longest novel, because of its reference to madeleines.
I have a great fondness for madeleines because of its association with happy memories of our Sunday lunches at Corrigan’s (Mayfair) or Koffman’s (Knightsbridge) with the children. Our splendid lunches ended with freshly-baked madeleines presented with a flourish, hot from the oven and still in its baking tray.
Pierre Koffmann closed his eponymous restaurant, located at The Berkeley Hotel, 10 years ago. Richard Corrigan no longer opens his Mayfair restaurant on a Sunday. It does not help that its location, on Upper Grosvenor Street, sits firmly within the London Congestion Charge zone. This means having to pay £18 to enter the zone by car even on weekends.
There is only one recipe for madeleines on this blog, made with matcha. I have made madeleines many times but have either lost the sheet of paper (for the perfect madeleine) or have been somewhat disappointed with the results. In fact I think I am searching for that elusive and fleeting moment of happiness spent with the children at a certain point in their childhood. It’s a bit like Harry Potter and the Mirror of Erised.
This week I read up all the recipes on madeleines from every baking book I have, remade the Green Tea Madeleines (which needs an update), did further online research for traditional madeleines then came up with my own workable recipe. This recipe will not be perfect to your memory of madeleines, however it is a recipe you can tweak to suit your own preferences.
Variations:
I actually like plain madeleines. I have seen recipes that incorporate small add-ons like chocolate chips, blueberries and chopped nuts. Other recipes use burnt butter, brown sugar, and self-raising flour instead of plain flour + baking powder. Liquid flavourings included rose water. I would consider using lemon/ orange oil (always Boyajian brand) and have used vanilla extract here. Oven temperatures varied from 180°C to 220°C (fan 160°C to 200°C ). One recipe even advised three different oven temperatures, depending on which stage of the baking you were at.
Life should not be so complicated. Here is as pared down and as perfect a madeleine recipe as I can rustle up in this July heatwave.
Baking Tray:
You will need 1 x 12-hole madeleine tin. Mine are made by Gobel in France. Brush the madeleine tins with the softened butter and dust with flour prior to using it.
For the Madeleines:
This will yield 12 regular-sized madeleines. Ingredients are given in the order that you will be preparing them.
85 g unsalted butter
110 g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
large pinch of fine sea salt
2 large eggs (110 g without shell)
55 g golden caster sugar
20 g runny honey
zest of 1 lemon or 1 orange (I used a Microplane)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Softened butter and flour for the baking mould
You will also need 1 x 12-hole madeleine tin. Mine are made by Gobel in France.
How to Make:
Brush the madeleine tins with the softened butter and dust with flour.
Melt the butter in a pot over a low heat or in the microwave on a low setting. I place the cold butter in a microwaveable jug and melt this for around 2 minutes on 360 W. Leave aside.
Sift together the plain flour, baking powder and salt. Leave aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, honey, lemon/ orange zest and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture has turned very pale and has doubled in volume.
Add in the flour mixture and continue whisking on a low speed.
Pour in the butter slowly and continue whisking on a low speed until you get a smooth batter.
Place the mixing bowl in the fridge and chill for at least two hours. It can be chilled overnight.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/ 200°C electric.
Divide the cake mixture between the moulds. Using a small ice cream scoop is ideal – I used one which can hold 20 ml of liquid which is the perfect size.
Bake for 10 minutes (just done but slightly pale) or 11 minutes (firmer and more brown in colour).
At the end of the cooking time, take the tins out of the oven and place on a cold surface for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from the moulds.
My next madeleines:
Despite liking the regular madeleines very much, I am keen to try a chocolate one, perhaps one using browned butter and I am even now thinking of one with added chopped stem ginger. These madeleines are perfect picnic food and for bringing on any trip in case of any travel delays. Provided you have enough moulds, which are flat and easy to store, the recipe can be scaled up for any party.