Rosewater Glazed Madeleines

Maybe it was the photos of rock formations in Moab, Utah or the sun setting in Grand Junction, Colorado my sister sent or the incredible photos of western Washington State posted to Facebook by a rather gifted photographer I know only through Facebook that finally pushed me into making plans to see landscapes different than the one I am living in. My other excitement for the week was finally returning back to gym after a rather long hiatus. For awhile I had been working out five to six days a week and then I let the holidays alter my routine. I never cease to be amazed at how much better I feel after working out. Why I have not been able to internalize this feeling into a 'habit' speaks to so many things as well as why change can sometimes be hard. The motivation for the return to the gym was in part prompted by reading the quote 'Quit saying you don't have time. You have time for what you make time for in life.' If someone had not already taken credit for those two sentences, I would have put my name to them. It's always a red flag when someone you care about tells you they are 'too busy' just as it's a red flag when you tell yourself you are 'too busy'. In my world, busy is one of those four letter words, one that can be hurtful to hear as well as harmful (to oneself) to utter. And this week, the time had finally come (again) for me to make time to workout. Thank goodness the bottle of Motrin hadn't expired.

These Rosewater Glazed Madeleines were not going to be my next post, Chicken Marbella was. Best laid plans often go awry or so they say. But after making and tasting them, I couldn't wait until next week to share them with you. I could think of no better way to give you the sense of the transformational deliciousness of these small rich cakes, than to share the eloquence of the writing of Marcel Proust. In his book 'Remembrance of Things Past' he wrote '....when one day in winter, on my return home, my mother, seeing that I was cold, offered me some tea, a think I did not ordinarily take. I declined at first, and then, for no particular reason, changed my mind. She sent for one of those squat, plump little cakes called petites madeleines, which look as though they had been molded in the fluted valve of a scallop shell. And soon, mechanically, dispirited after a dreary day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shiver ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin. And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its' brevity illusory, this new sensation having had the effect which loves has, of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me, it-was-me. I had ceased now to feel mediocre, contingent, mortal. When could it have come to me, this all-powerful joy? I sensed that is was connected with the taste of the tea and the cake, but that infinitely transcended those savors....' Do madeleines really have the power to evoke feelings of love and euphoria? I suppose you will have to taste one to find out.

Many years ago I had bought a madeleine pan, most likely with the intention of making madeleines. For some reason I cannot remember when I bought this pan, however, by looking at I could tell that it had never been used. Oh, those best laid plans. This past week one of David Lebovitz's madeleine recipes appeared in a social media posting. For some unexplainable reason, this long overdue inspiration and motivation was enough to send me on the hunt for that madeleine pan. Had the person who shall remain nameless not organized all of my bakeware while I was living out east, my search for the madeleine pan could have led me to either abandon my madeleine baking plans or sent me out to buy another one. The more likely outcome would have been the later. 

Before I started making these madeleines I thought it might be wise to see what other madeleine recipes attributed to David Lebovitz had been posted. Considering I had already waited quite some time before making them, adding another hour or two seemed an insignificant delay. After finding a few recipes, comparing their similarities and differences, some minor ingredient quantity adjustments to the recipe I had initially come across seemed to be make sense. Possibly the best takeaway to come from comparing recipes was in gaining a greater clarity of the process of making madeleines. And lastly, in a moment of creativity, I thought rather than a lemon glaze or dusting of confectionary sugar, the more perfect finishing touch to the madeleines would be a rosewater glaze.

The hump in the madeleine is a very good thing. Room temperature eggs, baking powder, the folding processes and batter resting times all contribute to creating a fuller, plump madeleine. And while the use of a pastry bag is not absolutely necessary, it makes life easier (as well as making for more uniform sized cakes). Be careful to not over or underfill your madeleine mold. Baked in the upper third of a preheated 400 degree (F) oven, the madeleines become golden brown in 8 to 10 minutes. Would recommend you check them at seven minutes and add time. A minute can mean the difference between perfect and over baked.

Traditionally madeleines are sprinkled with a dusting of confectionary sugar. They can be dipped in melted chocolate, in a lemon glaze, or in a rosewater glaze. Rosewater is nothing more than a flavored water infused with rose petals and a small amount of sugar. Marzipan is usually flavored with rosewater. Since it can be a little sweet, I used sparingly in the glaze (a scant 1/4 teaspoon to 1 cup of sifted confectionary sugar). It was just enough to add some sweetness and just a tiny bit of floralness to the madeleines.

The cooled to the touch madeleines are dipped (scallop side) into the glaze and placed on a cooling rack to set.

Once the glaze has set, the madeleines placed in cupcake papers can be arranged on a platter or packaged in a box for gifting.

This recipe yielded sixteen (16) madeleines. After baking the first batch of twelve, I let the pan cool slightly, wiped it clean with a paper towel, then rebrushed with melted butter/dusted lightly with flour. Both batches came out perfectly, so there really isn't any need to buy a second pan. 

Part cake, part cookie, madeleines are simply irresistible. Be prepared to be affected by them. And hey, Happy Valentine's Day. I hope you make time for not just yourself, but who matters to you. 

Recipe
Rosewater Glazed Madeleines (inspired by David Lebovitz's madeleine recipe in My Paris Kitchen)

Ingredients
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour, plus additional flour for preparing pan
1 teaspoon baking powder (recommend Rumford)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 Tablespoon honey

1 cup confectionary sugar, sifted
2 Tablespoons whole milk
scant 1/4 teaspoon rosewater
(optional: 1 drop of pink or red food coloring)

Directions
1. Place eggs in the bowl of standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until frothy, add granulated sugar a little at a time until mixture has doubled in volume and has thickened (approximately 3-5 minutes). Remove bowl from mixer.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and sea salt.
3. Fold in sifted ingredients and vanilla to egg/sugar mixture using a spatula. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a towel, allow to rest for 30 to 60 minutes. (Note: My rest time was 60 minutes.)
4. Melt 8 Tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small pan over low heat. Add honey, continue stirring over the heat for an additional minute. Remove from heat and set aside for 30 to 60 minutes. Set aside.
5. Fold in melted, cooled butter/honey mixture a few spoonfuls at a time into the rested batter. Fold until all butter has been incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a towel, allow to rest for 30 to 60 minutes. (Note: My rest time was 60 minutes.)
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
7. Melt 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter. Brush the madeleine mold with the melted butter. Dust lightly with flour (shake out excess flour). 
8. Using a pastry bag, fill each mold indentation approximately 3/4 full with batter. Tap pan on counter before placing in the top third of the preheated oven.
9. Bake until golden brown and/or feel just set when you touch with your finger, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. (Note: My bake time was 8 minutes.)
10. Allow to cool for 30 seconds, then tip madeleines out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool to touch before dipping in rosewater glaze.
11. For glaze, mix together the sifted confectionary sugar, milk and rosewater. Stir until smooth.
12. Dip top (scallop side) of the madeleines into the glaze, place dipped madeleine on cooling rack (scalloped side up). Allow to rest until icing has set.
13. Serve immediately. Note: Glazed madeleines are best left uncovered (or not tightly-wrapped). They are best eaten the day they are made, however, they can be kept in container for up to two days.
Additional note: Can dust cooled madeleines with confectionary sugar instead of dipping in glaze or can substitute 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice in place of the rosewater for a lemon glaze.