Madeleines

Today was the day.  I made madeleines.  The same cookie that sells for two bucks or so each at Starbucks and places alike.  Today I understood why these suckers cost so much and the ingredients is not why.  These babies are tricky and take a while like clarifying of brown butter which probably took about 30 minutes or so of close watch to make.  Then there is the madeleine cookie tray that cost me $30 which of coarse will pay itself in a long run, but my first batch sure turned out to be expensive.

A couple of things didn't go as planned.  First, the cookie tray.  The recipe said that I was supposed to butter it.  It should have probably said "butter it well but not too much because you don't want your cookies to be soaked in butter like SOMEONE's cookies turned out to be".  So yeah, my first batch came out stuck to the form and the second was a bit too buttery than I would have liked.    Neither result made me very happy.  Also, in my annoyance that the browning of the butter was taking so long, I folded the flour first and butter afterward which I assume also contributed to a less than perfect cookie.

Anyway, I am not giving up on these just yet.  They are too delicious and way too expensive to buy.  But here is the recipe that I got from Ana; hope yours turn out better than mine :)

Madeleines 

Heat oven to 350. Butter the madeleine pan.

Clarify 3/4 c. butter in a small saucepan by heating over low heat until brown and nutty, then straining through a paper towel in a sieve. Throw out the solids, keep the liquid.

Beat together:
4 eggs
and a pinch of salt at a medium speed, until thick.
Add:
2/3 c. sugar a little at a time, beating at a high speed.

Fold in:
1 t. orange flower water (or orange zest)
1 t. vanilla
and the brown butter.
Then 3/4 c. sifted flour.
Don't stir past the folding in.

Fill each madeleine well almost to the top. Makes two pans.
Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

*** I made another batch after watching this lady here.   Though she uses a different recipes, I followed most of her techniques and my cookies turned out to be so much better looking and tasting!