This cake-like cookie is rarely found in Malaysia’s standard bakeries. If you do see it, it is usually in an upscale foodhall within an international supermarket. My first encounter with madeleines were in ISETAN KLCC. Within that, there was a Japanese bakery shop which specialises in lovely, airy, cloud-like cheesecakes – and 1 fine day I saw the shell-like cookie on sale! And I was really excited – because I’ll finally know what is it really?!  Those were so pricey it cost me RM 3.80 each, which I couldn’t imagine why is it so special to warrant that kind of price tag. RM 3.80 could have got me 2 pieces of delicious croissant from the boulangerie opposite this cakeshop!

I have always read about madeleines, especially when I first got Dorie’s Baking From My Home To You book, BUT never had the chance to try making them. I was curious as any other person, because I have never tasted it at that time, nor have any idea how it will feel on the tongue. It was an disillusionment to me. (If I am not wrong, the madeleine also differs from our common favourite ‘kuih bahulu‘.

MY first bite into a Chocolate Madeleine – was an anti-climax. I was dissapointed, because it was so dry, I had to dunk it into hot chocolate to swallow it smoothly. Next, I tried the plain original madeleine and it was no different from the other…just that the plain one had more of an egg-y taste. Despite this experience, I believe there was more to a madeleine than my first bite with it. I am sure of it, otherwise, it is impossible that Dear Madamoiselle Madeleine holds such high-esteem in Bakery Wonderland.

Since I couldn’t buy it anymore to enjoy, I guess I just have to bake it myself. However, metal madeleine molds are never seen here in Malaysia, what I found were imported silicon ones from Robinsons, and it wasn’t really worth the money to spend RM 100++ for that! It’s crazy! No choice, I skipped the pages of any madeleine recipe I see in any baking book, wistfully.

A few months back, my local bakery supplies store sold silicon madeleine molds! Wow! Hurray! FINALLY!! I was really happy to see it, and it just cost me RM 15 each (though they are from China, but it will suffice for sure – it will definitely compensate my {WANT} to make madeleines so badly! I got 2 molds, each having 9 cavities – a beauty.

So what makes a perfect Madeleine? I do not still have any concrete answers even after I have made my first batch of home-made Madeleines, only a guess that it should not be too dry, neither too cake-like, not even crumbly! What I do love is the comprehensive blog-post by Chez-Pim, few days ago. It enlighten me some, and in the next batch of madeleines, I’ll follow her way, so that I could make a comparison.

Here is Dorie Greenspan’s recipe on madeleines, which I followed to the letter, except that I have replaced Earl Grey tea to the fragrantly aromatic Marigold & Flowers tea leaves that I have in my pantry.

No matter what, the shell-like cookie always gives a romantic feeling – even just by holding it in your palms.
Quoting Dorie from her book, “…The madeleine is a beautiful, if somewhat plain, cookie made from the kind of batter you’d use for a sponge cake. What distinguishes it is its lightness; its texture – the tiny-bubbled crumb is tres raffine; …”

Marigold & Flowers Madeleines
(makes exactly 12 shells)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons tea leaves (your choice; in my case was marigold & flowers)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

To flavour butter with the tea, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave oven. Stir in the tea and allow it to infuse for 15 minutes. Line a small sieve with a double layer of damp cheesecloth, then strain the butter into a small bowl; discard tea leaves.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl, and using your finger tips, work the zest into the sugar until the mixture is fragrant.

Working with a mmixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and zest together until pale and thick, 2 to 3 mins. Add the honey and vanilla and beat for 1 minute more. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the dry ingredients. When they are incorporated, fold in the melted butter.

Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or for up to 2 days. This long chill will help the batter from the hump that is characteristic of madeleines.

To bake:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400 deg F. Butter 12 full-size madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out excess. Or, if you have a nonstick madeleine pan, give it a light coating of vegetable cooking spray. If using a silicone pan, there is no prep needed. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

Spoon the batter into the molds. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the madeleines are golden and the tops spring back when touched. Remove the pan from the oven and release the madeleines from the mold by rapping the edge of the pan against the counter. Gently pry them out with a butter knife or your fingers if they are stubborn.

Transfer cookies to a rack to cool to just warm or room temperature.

Now enjoy with any hot beverage of your choice.

If I access what I did, I think I might have over folded my madeleine batter. So there’s definitely another try soon!

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