202 – Orange Madeleines

Ingredients :

• 1 large orange
• 1 cup (153 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardmom
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 stick of butter (113 grams)
• Dark chocolate (small chunks / pieces)

Directions :

Step 1: Mixing the Dry Ingredients
1- Grate the orange withe the small holes of a grater to get orange zest. Just grate the surface, otherwsie, if you continue grating on the ‘white’ skin of the orange, it becomes bitter.
2- Using a sifter, sift the flour into a large ball. Add the baking powder, salt, and caradamom. Mix the ingredients with a whisk, until they are all well incorporated.

Step 2: Mixing the Wet Ingredients
1- Preheat your oven to 450 F (232 C)
2- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar, at high speed, using an electric egg beater until you get a thick whitish mixture.
3- Melt the butter.

Step 3:  Final Steps
1- Mix in the orange zest into the egg and sugar mixture.
2-  Using a spatula, add in the flour mixture in 3 times. Once a part of flour is completely incorproated into the egg mixture, then add more flour. Otherwise, you will get chunks of flour in your cakes if it is not mixed well.
3- Once the flour is completely integrated into the egg mixture, add the melted butter, and mix using a spatula until you get a smooth batter.
4- You will need a ‘madeleine’ baking pan to get the famour shell shape of the madeleines. If you dont have one, you could use a muffin tin and just place paper cups in the pan, and bake the madeleines into the shape of cupcakes. If you have a high quality madeleine pan, you do not need to butter the pan. Otherwise, butter then pan before pouring the batter into it.
5- Fill the madeleine molds 3/4 of the way, so that they do not overflow.
6- If you want chocolate heart madeleines, just add a small chocolate piece in the center of the madeleine mold (after you fill it with batter) and cover it a little bit of batter.
7- Reduce the heat of the oven to 400 F (204 C) before placing the madeleines in the oven. Bake at this temperature for 4-5 minutes.
8- Reduce the heat of the oven from 400 F to 350 F (from 204 C to 176 C) then continue baking the madeleines for another 4-5 minutes. Do not overbake the madeleines otherwise, they will be come dry.
9- note: half way through baking, you may have to turn the baking pan around so that both sides of the pan bake evenly.
10- Once done, the madeleines will look golden brown. Remove them from the molds, place them in a grid, and let them cool down for 30 minutes before serving.
Bon Appetit!