My poor madeleine pan doesn’t get a lot of use. I love it; I got it for Christmas years ago, and seeing it in the cabinet has always made me happy. But I seldom bake with it.
There’s no good reason for this, because I love madeleines. They’re miniature handheld cakes. The batter is easy to mix up. They look fancy with no extra effort on my part. There are endless variations to experiment with. I think I just convinced myself to like madeleines more than cupcakes.
It’s possible that it’s just this recipe I love so much, with its brown sugar caramel notes. I wouldn’t know, since my only experience with traditional madeleines was years ago and a very qualified success at best. Clearly I need to try that recipe for madeleines again – and many more.
Di chose this recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie, and she has it posted. It’s originally designed for a mini madeleine pan, but considering how rarely I use my regular madeleine pan, I think a mini version is the last thing I need. I just added a couple minutes to the baking time recommended for minis. I had a difficult time prying the cakes out of the pan, even though it’s nonstick and I sprayed it with cooking spray. Next time I’ll give it a more thorough spritz of floury baking spray.
One year ago: Cranberry Shortbread Cake
Two years ago: Chocolate Caramel Chestnut Cake
Three years ago: Kugelhopf
Never made madelines, but these look wonderful!
I, too, have an underutilized Madeleine pan – in fact I have two, a big and a little. I lived in Paris for three years of my nomadic life and, while those years featured typical Paris cold and rain, they also warmed my heart with the birth of new baby girl. She’s just gone off to university so you can understand my nostalgia for all things Parisian. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will have to make it and reminisce.
I just moved to Germany and they have madeleine pans everywhere! I should pick one up and try making some for the first time : )
I don’t have a Madeleine pan and never tasted Madeleine. I keep seeing them on blogs, that must be a good treat.
I agree, I need to use my pans a lot more. I would never have guessed that you had sticking problems–your madeleines look perfect!
Di – The ones that tore are turned upside-down. 🙂
Your madeleines turned out so well. I used a regular pan for the same reason.
What kind of pan can you use if you haven’t got a madeleine pan? I love them, but have never made them. My kitche is too small to justify a one purpose pan like that for experimentation.
Gryph – I tried making them in a muffin pan once, and it sort of worked. I’m guessing something shallow and small (individual serving sized) would work.
Me too! I have two regular sized madeleine pan and a mini madeleine pan, and they hardly get used at all. I need to dig them out and put them to use.
those look so beautiful and golden! not to mention they seem to have come out of the pan perfectly. i sprayed my pan and then dusted with flour…you can definitely see a white crust from the flour on mine.