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Have you ever made madelines? I can't get enough of those little devils. I'm thinking of getting a pan and trying my hand at makng them (i'm pretty good on a stovetop and a grill, but never really baked much).
Are they pretty easy? Do you have any tried and true recipes?
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It's basically a very light genoise (like sponge cake but with a lot of eggs) and no other leavening, flavored with lemon or orange water (super delicate extract). Not that there's a lot of ingredients - butter, sugar, eggs, flour, flavoring -, they're just handled very specifically. Looking at a couple recipes, I would say (as a reasonably accomplished but by no means pro baker) they could be a bit challenging if you have not done much baking.
You'll need a decent electric beater, a sifter, as well as the baking pan, and it is a recipe that you can't short-cut. When it says 'beat eggs until they triple in volume and are pale lemon-colored' or 'add sugar 1/4 cup at a time and beat well after each addition' or 'sift flour over the top of the egg mixture and fold in gently' -- that's what you really have to do.
Of course if it takes you one or two tries to get them perfect, you get to lick the bowls and eat the discards.
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oderint dum metuant (Latin for 'let them hate, so long as they fear').
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
Look at the big brain on Zenny! I was nost asuredly NOT meant to bake. I often try ice cream, which requires a bakers precision. Ive screwed it up as often as Ive been sucessfull. Was messing around with Xanthan gum (an emulsifier). I put too much in and ended up making rosemary and honey boogercream. GROSS! Sorry didnt mean to hijack...
I used to make genoise long, long ago for jelly rolls. Normally I'm the kind of baker who says, 'well if all the milk and all the flour end up in the same bowl eventually, why on earth fuss with alternate wet and dry ingredients, beating well after each addition.' But in my past year of pound cake addiction, I actually took time to do it right a couple times, and yes, there is a marked difference. I have no idea why.
In something as delicate as a madeleine, I'm sure it really would make the diff between success and failure.
__________________
oderint dum metuant (Latin for 'let them hate, so long as they fear').
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
But in my past year of pound cake addiction, I actually took time to do it right a couple times, and yes, there is a marked difference. I have no idea why.
If you ever have the urge to nerd the hell out on food, check out "On Food and Cooking" BY Harold Magee. Food scientist, wrote a now indispensible volume on the chemistry behind food. I bet you could find your answer in there, though Id imagine it has something to do with the proteins in the egg enveloping the sugar crystals (the technique f beating sugar into egg until pale yellow is called Blanchir, FWIW) and blah blah blah. Its not exciting reading by any menas, but super interesting, none the less.
Thanks, Zenny. Sounds like it might be ore involved than I have time for...but I'll giv it a shot sometime this year anyway. I tink a medeline pan will go on my "wishlist" for a bday gift.
Quote:
Originally Posted by schudt
I often try ice cream, which requires a bakers precision. Ive screwed it up as often as Ive been sucessfull.
I make ice cream all the time, and I don't see it as needing precision. Mostly I do it by the seat of my pants, trying various different things I have around the kitchen.
...unless you're talking about the much more involved frozen custard? With the eggs and all? I just use 2 cups whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream and some variation on 3/4 sugar (depending on the sugar content of my other ingredients).
Thanks, Zenny. Sounds like it might be ore involved than I have time for...but I'll giv it a shot sometime this year anyway. I tink a medeline pan will go on my "wishlist" for a bday gift.
I make ice cream all the time, and I don't see it as needing precision. Mostly I do it by the seat of my pants, trying various different things I have around the kitchen.
...unless you're talking about the much more involved frozen custard? With the eggs and all? I just use 2 cups whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream and some variation on 3/4 sugar (depending on the sugar content of my other ingredients).
Yah, Im still tying to get the egg amount right. Sometimes too eggy, sometimes not rich enough. I really do love Gelato, maybe I should just move to that. In terms of precision, I just meant its important to use super clean stuff and when using emulsifiers and stabilizers, you REALLY have to know proper ratios. Im seriously weak there. And you know us savory cooks, not a clean one in the bunch....
Yah, Im still tying to get the egg amount right. Sometimes too eggy, sometimes not rich enough. I really do love Gelato, maybe I should just move to that. In terms of precision, I just meant its important to use super clean stuff and when using emulsifiers and stabilizers, you REALLY have to know proper ratios. Im seriously weak there. And you know us savory cooks, not a clean one in the bunch....
To true.
__________________ "I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy".
Im so used to having porters come through and pick up my dirty pots and pans... Man, at home, I can trash the entire kitchen making mac and cheese.... from a box!
I was sooo hoping it would be something I could answer.
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