Madeleines: Tips & Techniques

[FrogPrincesse]

I make madeleines regularly. My go-to recipe that I have been making for years has honey. This latest batch didn't have much of a hump, but they tasted delicious and were very moist thanks to the honey.

 

Anyway, my madeleine pan is very pitted and hard to clean, and it's time to look for a replacement/upgrade. I've seen various brands and was wondering what everyone's preference was. My current one is regular lightweight aluminum. Is it better to get a nonstick one or just a good quality steel?

 

Here are a few I was considering:
Chicago metallic nonstick

Fox Run nonstick

Zenker nonstick carbon steel

Browne tinned steel

Norpro tin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
Added another option (log)

[Kerry Beal]

I'd probably go for the Browne.

[FrogPrincesse]

Made in France... I was leaning towards that one already. 

Thanks @Kerry Beal. You are the best!

 

[FrogPrincesse]

I got the pan. I ended up getting the Browne, but the brand on the sticker is actually Gobel, made in France. It wasn't wrapped and came with a powdery white residue that was cleaned easily. Now I wonder if this may have been flour?

I paid $22 + tax. It seems that Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table have the same pan for a bit less money ($17 and $20, respectively), but at least I didn't have to drive there.

The pan seems well made, so this should definitely be an upgrade from my old one.

[Chris Ward]

Is there a reason you avoided the silicone ones? I've only ever used those, personally and professionally.

[FrogPrincesse]

1 hour ago, Chris Ward said:

Is there a reason you avoided the silicone ones? I've only ever used those, personally and professionally.

I was under the impression that lack of browning was an issue with the silicone molds, so I avoided them on purpose. I like my madeleines well browned.

 

 

[Chris Ward]

Not particularly. I'll post a picture next time I back a batch in the silicone molds.

10 hours ago, FrogPrincesse said:

I was under the impression that lack of browning was an issue with the silicone molds, so I avoided them on purpose. I like my madeleines well browned.

 

 

 

[Smithy]

@Chris Ward, while you're at it: if you can post about differences between using the steel molds or the silicone molds (adjustments necessary, for instance) I would appreciate it.  Not that I've ever made madeleines, mind, but I have both types of mold and keep intending to try.

[FrogPrincesse]

1 hour ago, Chris Ward said:

Not particularly. I'll post a picture next time I back a batch in the silicone molds.

 

That'd be great. Thanks!

[Chris Ward]

11 hours ago, Smithy said:

@Chris Ward, while you're at it: if you can post about differences between using the steel molds or the silicone molds (adjustments necessary, for instance) I would appreciate it.  Not that I've ever made madeleines, mind, but I have both types of mold and keep intending to try.

I have actually never, ever used steel molds - not at home or in restaurants. In restaurants I never even saw them, let alone used them, and the thought never occurred to me to buy steel ones for home therefore. I'll see if I can make up a batch today.

[FrogPrincesse]

Here is a batch of honey madeleines I made with my new pan. I was very happy with how they came out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chris Ward]

Sorry this took so long to post, holidays got in the way of baking. I know, I know, I'll adjust my priorities in future!

These are 3 pictures of the madeleines I made yesterday, in the silicone molds. As you can see, the upper surface browns the same as in the metal molds; the underneath not at all, except when I left them in a couple of minutes too long. This is the process I've always used working here in professional restaurants and how I see them everywhere now. I guess if you want both sides browned you need to go for the metal molds?

My recipe:

500g sugar

400g flour

400g butter

9 medium eggs

1 sachet baking powder (7g)

Zest 1 lemon

This is enough for about 100 madeleines (it was to make a platter of iced ones for my daughter's 6th birthday. And we eat them for breakfast too.)

[FrogPrincesse]

1 hour ago, Chris Ward said:

I guess if you want both sides browned you need to go for the metal molds?

That's exactly why I went with metal molds.

 

Thanks for posting your results with the silicone molds! 

[Chris Ward]

I've written up the whole recipe here: https://eatsleepcookschool.wordpress.com/2016/08/07/non-proustian-madeleines/

 

[Smithy]

6 minutes ago, Chris Ward said:

I've written up the whole recipe here: https://eatsleepcookschool.wordpress.com/2016/08/07/non-proustian-madeleines/

 

 

Thanks for that blog post and link.  This part especially made me smile:

Quote

Cute, eh? And so tiny they contain no calories at all.

 

[blbst36]

So, my mom sent me some madeline pans and a cookbook of just madelines.  I made them for the first time last night.  I definitely need to practice some more.  The one thing that is tripping me up, I think, is that the instructions say to grease and flour the pans even if they are non-stick which mine are.  I don't know if you've ever tried to grease and flour non-stick, but it does not come out nicely.  The fat beads up on the surface of the molds.  

 

First, I made chocolate olive oil ones and following the grease/flour instruction.  They ended up with white spots all over the front looking kind of like a throat infection.  I also need to put them in for a shorter baking time.  It was hard to tell when they were done.  Chocolate doesn't translate to "when the edges brown" very well  

 

Then, I made a basic recipe and used the flour spray.  These ones didn't puff up much.  It might be because the recipe was only supposed to make 12, but I got almost double.  I tried to only fill the molds 3/4 of the way, but maybe I underfilled?  Using the whole recipe in only 12 molds would've filled them up completely.  Or is it because of the flour spray?

 

So, when I try them again, should I skip greasing the pans?  Should I try filling only 12 for the second recipe?

 

Any other suggestions, tips, wisdom?  Thanks!!

[Toliver]

It's funny you should mention madeleines... I was thinking about savory madeleines and just stumbled across an old eGullet discussion about garlic mashed potato madeleines.

Here is the discussion (click here) with eGullet member maggiethecat's recipe in the first post. If you scroll down the page, another eGullet member, Marlene, posted pictures of her attempt at making them. They look like they'd be tasty.

Not quite the recipe for the dessert forum, but intriguing nonetheless. 

 

Edited June 23, 2017 by Toliver
To remove redundancy (log)

[blbst36]

1 hour ago, Toliver said:

It's funny you should mention madeleines... I was thinking about savory madeleines and just stumbled across an old eGullet discussion about garlic mashed potato madeleines.

Here is the discussion (click here) with eGullet member maggiethecat's recipe in the first post. If you scroll down the page, another eGullet member, Marlene, posted pictures of her attempt at making them. They look like they'd be tasty.

Not quite the recipe for the dessert forum, but intriguing nonetheless. 

 

 

 

Those look fantastic!!  Thanks!

[chromedome]

22 hours ago, blbst36 said:

 I don't know if you've ever tried to grease and flour non-stick, but it does not come out nicely.  The fat beads up on the surface of the molds.  

 

Any other suggestions, tips, wisdom?  Thanks!!

Use a solid fat. Cream it together with the flour ahead of time, then brush the mixture onto the molds as thinly as you can manage. 

 

Oils and sprays aren't going to cut it on a non-stick surface, as you've already discovered. 

[blbst36]

6 hours ago, chromedome said:

Use a solid fat. Cream it together with the flour ahead of time, then brush the mixture onto the molds as thinly as you can manage. 

 

Oils and sprays aren't going to cut it on a non-stick surface, as you've already discovered. 

 

I will try that.  I'm curious if I need it at all?  I mean, isn't that what non-stick is for?  Does it add something to the cookie itself?  Thanks!

[Franci]

I always butter and flour my non stick madeleine mold. To just have a thin film of butter, I first rub some soft butter on the mold and pass some kitchen paper on top, so there is no thick butter. Then I sift some flour directly on top of the mold and remove the excess by shaking the pan upside down.

 

For the madeleines not puffing: 1. are you using cold batter? 2. Your oven temperature need to be at 375 to 400 F depending from the oven. 12 minutes in my oven are generally perfect.

 

I tried more complicated recipes but this is my standard no fuss recipe.

 

• 2 eggs
• 1 yolk
• 120 g flour
• 100 g sugar
• 100 g lightly salted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• grated lemon zest

Lightly beat the eggs and the sugar, whipping is not necessary. Incorporate the flour, previously sifted with the baking powder, in two times. Incorporated the melted butter (lukewarm or room temperature) and the lemon zest. Put in a container in the fridge. I usually prepare in the morning to bake at night but more often at night to bake in the morning.