Rose Water and Vanilla Madeleines

A classic French dessert with a twist! Rose water and vanilla Madeleines are a buttery and fluffy treat that combines the subtle floral notes of rose water with the comforting sweetness of vanilla. These French butter cakes are baked to perfection, boasting a light and spongy texture that pairs beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee. The delicate flavours of rose water and vanilla elevate the Madeleines, making them a popular choice for morning or afternoon tea treats. Serve these elegant treats at your next gathering to impress your guests with their exquisite taste and charm.

What is a Madeleine?

A madeleine is a traditional small buttery sponge-cake from France, typically baked in a pan with shell-shaped moulds, called a madeleine pan. The texture is light and fluffy, with a buttery and slightly sweet flavour.

Madeleines have certain unique characteristics that must be present in order for them to be deemed authentic and proper. The first characteristic feature of madeleines is the unique grooves they possess, which are obtained from the specially designed madeleine pan in which they are baked.

In addition, an essential characteristic of madeleines is the slight hump that forms on their backside. This distinctive bump is created during the baking process due to thermal shock. Thermal shock occurs when there is a significant temperature difference between the cold batter, particularly the cold butter, and the high heat of the oven. The colder the batter, the more pronounced the thermal shock effect, resulting in the desired hump on the madeleines.

Baking Tips:

• Whisk the eggs and sugar: I understand that this step may take up a significant amount of time, yet it remains a vital part of the process as it contributes to aerating the mixture, resulting in the creation of delicate and airy madeleine cakes.

• Don’t over-mix: When working with a batter that is so light and airy, it's crucial to handle it with care. Over mixing the dry ingredients will deflate the delicate texture of the batter, resulting in dense madeleines that lack the desired lightness and fluffiness.

• Refrigerate the batter: This crucial step is fundamental in attaining the iconic madeleine hump. The distinctive hump is a direct outcome of the rapid temperature contrast when the chilled batter meets the intense heat of the oven.

• Do not overfill the wells: Only fill each well with 1 Tablespoon of batter; if you overfill the wells of your madeleine pan to the brim, the madeleines will lose their characteristic shape during baking.

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Rose Water and Vanilla Madeleines

Yield: 20 Madeleines

Author: Chloe Sims

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 13 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 38 M

A classic French dessert with a twist.

Ingredients

Rose Water and Vanilla Madeleines

• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (Melted)
• 100g Unsalted Butter (Melted, slightly cooled)
• 2 Eggs (Room Temperature)
• 100g Granulated White Sugar
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Tsp Rose Water
• 100g Plain Flour
• 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Salt

Instructions

Rose Water and Vanilla Madeleines

1. Place the 100g of butter into a small microwaveable bowl, microwave in 30 second bursts until melted. Set aside to allow to cool. Do the same with the separate 2 Tbsp's of butter then set aside (This butter is used for buttering the madeleine trays).
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl then whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. Either using a stand mixer or handheld beater, place the eggs and sugar in either the stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Beat on high for about 8 minutes, the mixture will turn thick and pale.
4. Beat in the vanilla and rose water until combined.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture using a spatula until just combined (Don't over-mix or leave any clumps).
6. Pour the 100g of melted butter into the batter then gently fold until just combined.
7. Using the 2 Tbsp's of melted butter, brush the shell shaped wells with the melted butter until well coated.
8. Cover the batter with plastic wrap then refrigerate the batter and the madeleine trays for 1-2 hours.
9. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Spoon 1 Tbsp of batter into the center of each shell shaped well (Don't spread the mixture, just plop it in the center).
10. Bake for 10-13 minutes until light golden.
11. Carefully remove the madeleines straight away and place them on a wire rack to lightly cool.
12. You can dust the madeleines with powdered sugar, if desired.
13. Enjoy!

Notes

Whisk the eggs and sugar: I understand that this step may take up a significant amount of time, yet it remains a vital part of the process as it contributes to aerating the mixture, resulting in the creation of delicate and airy madeleine cakes.

Don’t over-mix: When working with a batter that is so light and airy, it's crucial to handle it with care. Over mixing the dry ingredients will deflate the delicate texture of the batter, resulting in dense madeleines that lack the desired lightness and fluffiness.

Refrigerate the batter: This crucial step is fundamental in attaining the iconic madeleine hump. The distinctive hump is a direct outcome of the rapid temperature contrast when the chilled batter meets the intense heat of the oven.

Do not overfill the wells: Only fill each well with 1 Tablespoon of batter; if you overfill the wells of your madeleine pan to the brim, the madeleines will lose their characteristic shape during baking.

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