Sunday, December 15, 2013

Donna Hay's Madeleines with Orange Glaze

I have an infatuation with little bitty things.  There's just something about little minis that is so cute and irresistible.  So when I spotted a teeny tiny madeleine pan I simply had to have it.  In my mind I had visions of mini madeleines in every kind of flavor imaginable.  So I bought the pan and it was so mini and cute that it actually fell out of the bag and got lost in my car.  For three months.  When I discovered the pan in the back of my car I was thrilled yet again.  In fact, I had the same visions of cute mini madeleines, but then I put the pan in the pantry for another two months.  To say I'm good at procrastinating is an understatement.

Every time I spotted that madeleine pan I felt like it was taunting me.  One day I took the pan out of the pantry and placed it on my kitchen counter as an incentive. I'll have you know that pan sat there on the kitchen counter for about two weeks before I gained the needed motivation.

Today I finally made these mini madeleines and I gotta tell you that mini is no longer cute to me.  AT ALL!  Turns out the mini madeleine pan only holds approximately one teaspoon of batter in each cavity.  Making these minis was the longest process ever!

However, I will tell you that these mini little madeleines with orange glaze are the daintiest little cake-like treats ever!  We really did love them!  They are very light and sponge-like in texture and the orange glaze really gives them a wonderful citrus flavor.  These would be a nice treat with a cup of tea.  Just do yourself a favor and buy a larger pan!


Madeleines
Adapted from Modern Classics Book 2
by Donna Hay
Makes 24

4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 ounces butter, melted and cooled
Optional: Zest of one orange

For Glaze:
Juice of one orange
About 1 cup of confectioner's sugar
Optional: zest of half an orange and/or leftover zest from above*

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes or until very pale and thick.  Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture and continue to beat at low speed until smooth.  Add the butter and beat until combined.

Grease two madeleine tins with 12 x 1-1/2 tablespoon capacity holes.  Spoon in the mixture and bake for 8-10 minutes or until risen and golden. 

Whisk together the juice of one orange and about a cup or so of confectioner's sugar until you get the consistency you're looking for.  For a thick glaze add more sugar.  For a thin glaze add more juice.

Theme: Fill The Tins!

12 comments:

  1. Hah! I have to laugh at your post because I picked up and put back an on-sale madeleine pan about ten times the other day before finally telling myself I would never bother with the fuss of making them--and that was a large size pan! I imagine that a mini-madeleine pan would drive me around the bend! That being said these look like the perfect little spongy cakes that I would love to gobble up--you can definitely put some in my tin. ;-)

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  2. Hi Kim,
    Your mini pan hibernating in the car for 3 whole months! That made me smile!
    I was craving for some madeleines ever since a couple of weeks ago, maybe I should give this a try soon! Looks and sounds delicious to me!

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  3. I adore madeleines and haven't made them in ages. I brought my madeleine pan down this winter with the intention of making some. Perhaps I'll follow your lead and put the pan on the counter as an incentive. Love the orange in this Kim.
    Sam

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  4. I agree totally about that mini Mad pan...lol. I make them as I like to put the larger ones and the tiny ones on a platter together to add interest, but they are a pain...lol. That said, they look really cute, don't they? Great choice, and very pretty.

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  5. I will definitely get a larger pan!!

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  6. Your madeleines look so light and airy...gorgeous! Love the orange flavour.
    (And after reading your post I'm thankful my daughter bought me the large size madeleine pan when I put it on my Christmas list a few years ago.)

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  7. I detest cookie baking, mostly because of how long it takes to get through all the batches!! I'm sure mini madeleines would drive me up a wall. But then again...they do look totally worth all the waiting and cursing....

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  8. "I have an infatuation with little bitty things." You should buy a monitor lizard ;)

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  9. Oh my goodness! I don't think I would have the patience to do this! When I roll meatballs or cookie dough, or even drop cookie dough by the spoonful, as time goes by the balls and spoonfuls get larger and larger. With that said, these do look super cute.

    You made me laugh setting the pan on the counter as an incentive. I do things like that often. You'd think we don't like to cook the way we put things off!

    Hope all is well!

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  10. I also have a Madeline pan...but I am worse than you cause it was given to me 10 months ago!!! Seems we always make excuses to keep me from making sweets but I am so determined to make them before the year is out. Tick tick tick....
    These look very good, Kim, and I think they must taste wonderful. Would love to pop in for a cuppa tea and a few of these bad girls!!

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  11. I can well imagine how much trouble they were cause you have to keep baking and baking and baking to finish them. I LOVE little mini cakes/pies.

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  12. Oh Kim, this really made me laugh. I have a friand pan that taunts me in the same way - I've only had it for two years now, but you've just about guilted me into using it.

    I adore madeleines, but I've never made them - mostly because I don't have a madeleine pan, but even having the pan is no guarantee I would ever make them. They do look heavenly though, so when I invest in a pan I'll definitely make sure I don't go for the the mini one!

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