Old Timey Cozy
these cakes like sunsets, funny movies, and long walks on the beach.
While somewhat a grinch, I really do have a soft spot for the holiday season when it comes to food, fuzzy sweaters and that one Salvation Army guy who dances while ringing not one, but two bells and partying like its 1899 with wassel, toddies or spiced buttered rum to warm up the insides. They’re the perfect beverages to go with your monocle.
The problem with spiced buttered rum is that while delicious, there is only so much buttered rum one can drink. With these, you can eat all 36 and feel just dandy.
Spiced Buttered Rum Madeleines
Makes 3 dozen
Eggs should be room temperature. If not, soak them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. It adds volume to the batter.
For the madeleines
- 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 teas vanilla
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tbs flour
- 1 teas baking powder
- 1/4 teas salt
- 1/2 teas ground ginger
- 1/2 teas ground nutmeg
- 1 teas cinnamon
For the glaze
- 1 Tbs dark rum
- 1 Tbs apple cider (also quite tasty with oj)
- 1 teas vanilla extract
- 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter over low heat. Brush madeleine pans with melted with butter. Set both aside.
In a large bowl, beat eggs; add sugar gradually and beat until smooth, about 4 minutes. Mix in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift flour with salt and baking powder and spices. Gradually add to egg mixture.
Fold in melted (not hot) butter with a rubber spatula until just blended.
Fill pans about 2/3s full and bake for 7 to 10 minutes until edges are golden and cakes spring back when pressed.
Remove immediately from pans and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, mix confectioners sugar, vanilla, rum and cider in a small bowl. Glaze should be thick. Spoon onto madeleines. Let glaze set at least 15 minutes before serving/packaging.
Sober Sunday: Diwali Madeleines
Late October is a great time for food…between harvest season, the onslaught of pumpkin everything, Oysterfest, and widely available candy corn, there is much deliciousness to be had. Late October also brings Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. In my universe, Diwali is always celebrated with a dinner of ridiculous proportions, ridiculously delicious recipes from the cookbooks of my friend Kunur’s family, and a quest for goat meat.
This year was the first time I was not playing sous chef so I had time to make a dessert. My mother’s go to for sweets after an epic meal were always madeleines, those simple, fluffy shell shaped cakes. But madeleines didn’t really fit into the cuisine. They’re kinda…French. Doctored with citrus and cardamom, however, they felt like appropriate fusion food to join in the family recipe feasting. Oh, and there is a boozy modification below, should you want one.
Orange Cardamom Madeleines
The secret to madeleines is the order of combining ingredients, and not over-mixing the flour. These should be done by hand, never with an electric mixer
For the madeleines
- 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 teas vanilla
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tbs flour
- 1 teas baking powder
- 1/4 teas salt
- 1 teas orange zest
- 3/4 teas ground cardamom
- 1/4 teas nutmeg
- 1/4 teas cinnamon
For the glaze
- 1/8 cup orange juice squeezed from the zested orange. Eat remaining orange. (for boozy baking, substitute with 1 Tbs orange juice and 1 Tbs Cointreau or Triple Sec)
- 1 teas orange zest
- 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter. Brush madeleine pans with melted with butter. Set both aside.
In a large bowl, beat eggs; add sugar gradually and beat until smooth. Add vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift flour with salt and baking powder and spices and zest. Gradually add to egg mixture.
Fold in melted (not hot) butter with a rubber spatula until just blended.
Fill pans about 2/3s full and bake for 7 to 10 minutes until edges are golden and cakes spring back when pressed.
Remove immediately from pans and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, mix confectioners sugar, juice and zest in a small bowl. Glaze should be thick. Brush onto madeleines. Let glaze set at least 15 minutes before serving/packaging.
