Best Spiced Madeleines Recipes

SPICED MADELEINES

Steps:

• Brush two nonstick trays of twelve madeleine molds each with melted butter to coat; set aside.
• In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together eggs, honey, and granulated sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and whisk until just warm to the touch. Remove, and beat using a handheld electric mixer on medium speed until mixture has doubled in volume, about 8 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
• In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and cloves. Gently fold flour mixture into the batter in three additions. Add melted butter, and gently fold it in. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill prepared molds three-quarters full. Using a small offset spatula, smooth the batter so that it's even with the surface of the molds.
• Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately invert pans over a wire cooling rack, and let the madeleines cool slightly, shell side up. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

SPICED MADELEINES WITH ORANGE-DATE COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine raisins and rum in small bowl. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add star anise; cook until butter browns but does not burn, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in honey and citrus peels. Remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes. Discard anise. Preheat oven to 375°. Generously butter and flour pan for large madeleines. Finely grind almonds and flour in processor. Transfer to bowl. Mix in powdered sugar and spices. Using electric mixer, beat in browned-butter mixture. Gradually add egg whites and beat until mixture thickens and forms slowly dissolving ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. ** One reviewer indicated they rose after setting in the refrigerator for 30 minutes** Working in batches, spoon 1 tsp rum-soaked raisins into each indentation in madeleine pan, then spoon 1 generous tablespoon batter atop raisins. Bake madeleines until puffed and brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Gently remove from pan. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Store airtight at room temperature. Before continuing, place on baking sheet and rewarm 5 minutes in 350° oven.) Mound compote onto plates. Top with madeleines and creme fraiche. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnut, if desired.

SPICED MADELEINES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Brush molds with some melted butter, then chill until set, about 5 minutes. Brush molds again with some melted butter and chill pan.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, spices, and a pinch of salt.
• Whisk together sugars and eggs until combined well. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined, then stir in remaining butter (6 tablespoons) until just incorporated. 3Spoon batter into molds, filling them about two thirds full. Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake until springy to the touch and edges are lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn out onto a rack and cool 15 minutes. Just before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.
• *Available at many cookware shops and Bridge Kitchenware (800-274-3435).

HONEY SPICED MADELEINES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and pepper and keep at hand. Working in a mixer bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment, or work in a bowl with a handheld mixer or a whisk, add the eggs to the bowl and beat until the mixture is light colored, fluffy and thickened, about 2 minutes; beat in the honey, then the vanilla. Switch to a rubber spatula and very gently fold in the dry ingredients followed by the melted butter. You can use the batter now, but it's better if you give it a little rest. Spoon the batter into madeleine molds, cover, chill, then bake the cookies directly from the fridge. When you're ready to bake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the large madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes and the minis for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the madeleines are golden and the tops spring back when prodded gently. Remove the pan from the oven, turn it over onto a heatproof surface and peel it away from the madeleines. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to just-warm or room temperature. Serving: When you're ready to serve the cookies, give them a dusting of confectioner's sugar. Like traditional madeleines, these are good with tea, but because of the spices, they're also very good with espresso. And, as unorthodox as the combination may be, they pair well with single-malt whisky and armagnac, too. Storing: Madeleines are really best served just warm or at room temperature the day they are made. Leftovers should be kept in a closely covered container and, if you've got them long enough for them to have gone stale, dunk them in whatever you're drinking.

SPICED MADELEINES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar. Beat for 5-7 minutes, or till thick and satiny.
• In a medium mixing bowl sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and nutmeg. Sift one fourth of the flour mixture over the egg mixture: gently fold inches Fold in remaining flour by fourths Fold in the 1/2 cup butter or margarine. Spoon batter into greased madeleine molds, filling each one three-fourths full.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 10-12 minutes, or till edges are golden and tops spring back. Cool in molds on a rack for 1 minute.
• Transfer cookies to a rack and cool. Sift powdered sugar over tops. Store in freezer.