Madeleines - Classic French Teacakes

Hold on! Aren't madeleines scalloped like shells? I should have titled this Madeleines - Classic French Teacakes in a Classic English Pan! Madeleines are shaped like shells, but I don't currently have a madeleine pan. So I use an English mince pies/jam tarts pan instead. But you can use whatever pan you have.

To figure out how much batter to use, measure how much water it takes to fill the cups in your pan to the very brim and then reduce it a bit. You need them to be quite full so that they will form the characteristic madeleine "hump" but not so full that they will overflow and come out malformed. Mine held exactly 2 tablespoons of water, so my #40 scoop (0.8 ounces/1.5 tablespoons) was perfect.

I like my little round "English" Madeleines so much, I may make them this way forever. It's the perfect little 4-bite cake to go with a cup of tea. I know people are crazy about macarons, but give me a madeleine any day. Macarons are altogether too sweet and sugary for me. What is your favorite little sweet bite to have with a cup of tea (or coffee, if you must)? 

Update 08/24/17: Just posted about other classic French teacakes: Financiers and Visitandines.

Madeleines

(Makes about 1 1/2 cups batter*)

6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter
2/3 dip-and-sweep cup (3.33 ounces/94 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* The number of madeleines it makes depends on the size. If your pan holds the #40 scoop I used, it will make 15. So in order to not waste my extra three scoops of batter, I just pop it into a custard cup and make a cupcake. 

1 Melt butter; set aside at room temperature. It should be still warm, but not hot, when you add it to the batter at the end.

2 In small bowl, sift together flour, tapioca flour, baking powder and salt.

3 In 1.5-quart mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer for 3 minutes, until pale yellow and fluffy. Whisk in orange zest and vanilla extract. Lightly whisk in flour in three additions. Lightly whisk in melted butter. Cover and refrigerate batter for an hour.

4 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Lightly spray pan with cooking spray (or do the butter and flour thing). Set pan in a rimmed baking sheet. My pan fits perfectly inside a 13x9x1-inch quarter-sheet pan. Scoop batter into pan. Bake for about 12 to 16 minutes, or until cakes are golden with slightly browned edges (or not) and spring back when touched lightly. Baking time will depend on the size of the madeleines.

5 Turn out the teacakes onto a pristine kitchen towel. You will likely need to give the pan a couple of sharp raps to loosen the stubborn ones. Place them bottom side up on wire rack to cool. Dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving.

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Jean