When it comes to madeleines, I’m extremely judgmental. This could be because I learned to make madeleines at a French pastry-making class and they’re best served, in my humble opinion, fresh out of the oven. They’re delicious the next day, perhaps, soaked in some tea or coffee. But their value drops considerably in my eyes once a few hours has passed after they’ve cooled. By the time you’ve purchased it at a store, chances are, it’s been a few hours, if not days. Depending on where you buy them of course. I recently tried some from what’s supposed to be the best patisserie in Toronto and I was unimpressed. This isn’t the first time I’ve blogged about madeleines. I make them quite often, especially because I’m so picky about the ones I’ve purchased at even the best pastry shops. I even have a couple of different molds. But when my […]
Coconut madeleines (and lemon-scented ones too)
Marcel Proust forever immortalized the madeleine in his book “Remembrance of Things Past” and it has since penetrated pop culture references in everything from “The Simpsons” to “The Sopranos.” Even Starbucks is selling these scallop shell-shaped French cookies at the counter. That’s enough to make even the most ambitious pastry chef cower at the thought of attempting to recreate these delicate mouthfuls. But it’s not as hard as it looks. I bought a no-stick madeleine pan at the Williams-Sonoma and stared at it for a few hours, revelling in its beauty. I finally worked up the nerve, telling myself that if I was to spend $34 on what was really just a pretentious cookie pan, I should get something out of it.Here’s the recipe I used for coconut madeleines from the glorious, fantastic, indulgent cookbook “Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth” by Jill O’Connor. Ingredients:2 […]
Miette mini madeleine donuts
Some time ago, I declared with some authority, that doughnuts were in fashion. (You will never hear me saying that cupcakes are out. That’s just ridiculous). Of course, the timing was poor because I have been on a diet (let’s call it a lifestyle change) for several months now. And the day I had two Timbits (doughnut holes for my American readers) I felt guilty for days. But when my husband showed me the Smart Planet mini donut maker, I had to have it. I don’t have any extra counter or drawer space so when I buy an appliance, it’s a big deal. Bonus: you can make the mini donuts without deep frying them. It’s more like a waffle maker with a super hot surface, if you can envision it. And they’re mini! I love mini anything. When you can fit two of anything in the palm of my hand, […]
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