Recipes
Nancy Silverton's Madeleines
ingredients
- 10 ounces (283 grams) golden butter
- 7½ ounces (212 grams) granulated sugar
- 1¼ ounces (43 grams) light brown sugar
- 5 extra-large eggs
- 1 extra-large egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons clover honey or another mild honey
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla paste or extract
- 1 lemon (for zesting)
- 9 ounces (255 grams) pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons nonfat milk powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Nonstick cooking spray
method
- To make the golden butter: Put the butter in a small saucepan (preferably one with a light-colored bottom) and heat it over medium heat. After it melts it will begin to bubble and a thick layer of foam will form on top. Let the butter continue to bubble, swirling the saucepan occasionally so the butter cooks evenly, until the bubbles begin to calm down and the foam disappears, the butter is golden, and the milk solids are a caramel color. Turn off the heat. Measure or weigh out 10 ounces (283 grams) golden butter and transfer it to a large bowl to cool to room temperature. Reserve the leftover butter to grease the molds.
- To make the madeleines: Combine the granulated sugar and light brown sugar in a large bowl and stir with a whisk to combine.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolk, honey, and vanilla. Use a fine microplane to zest the outermost, bright yellow layer of half of the lemon into the bowl and reserve the lemon for another use. Add the zest to the bowl with the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Then add the mixture to the bowl with the sugars and whisk to combine.
- Sift the flour with the milk powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Sift it a second time onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll the edges of the parchment to create a funnel and use the funnel to add the dry ingredients to the bowl of batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir until almost no flour is visible. Add the golden butter and stir with the spatula to combine, making sure to get all the flour from the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for least several hours. (The batter needs to be cold in order to pipe it into the mold; it also helps you achieve the desired hump in the baked madeleines.)
- When you are ready to bake the madeleines, adjust the oven racks so one is in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the madeleine molds generously with nonstick cooking spray or use the leftover golden butter.
- Remove the bowl of batter from the refrigerator, uncover the bowl, and spoon the batter into a large pastry bag. Cut a small hole in the bag and pipe the batter into the prepared madeleine molds, filling each one ¾ full. (If you fill it too full, it goes over the mold and you end up with a lip.) Place the madeleines in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, rotating the mold from front to back after five minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for about five minutes. Run a small knife around the edges of each madeleine to loosen them and flip the pan to release them. Cool them shell side down.
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