Meyer Lemon Honey Madeleines

Dear Devon,

I finally had a chance to sit down and read through your copy of Patricia Wells' Simply French. I paid special attention to your dog-eared pages and added a few tags of my own. Before returning the book, there are a few recipes I must try out. I am drooling over her recipes for thick veal chop with wild mushrooms and asparagus (p. 175), and cheese and bacon potato cake (p. 203). But today, I am once again enamored with the idea of making madeleines.


I realize I already told you about my love for these delectable shell-shaped cookies, but I must do it again. Please indulge me. I'm always looking for new ways to make madeleines, and Patricia Wells offers five variations! (Madeleines aux cinq parfums: au chocolat, au citron, au miel, aux noisettes, et aux pistaches.) Obviously, she loves madeleines as much as I do.

I considered her flavoring techniques and made some adjustments in my latest dozen. Using a mortar and pestle, I ground the lemon zest into the sugar, gently persuading the zest to release its essential oils. What the Meyer lemon lacks in size it more than makes up for in flavor. The zest is intense and flowery. The juice is like lemon concentrate, with sweet notes and a distinct tang. The addition of honey subdued the intense lemon flavor while adding a subtle nuttiness. It is popular to take your tea with lemon and honey, why not a madeleine?

The only thing consistent about a madeleine is its shape. I am always surprised how different the recipes are for these treats. Patricia Wells asks for six large egg whites whisked until frothy and mixed with 13 tbsp of melted butter and 1/2 cup of finely ground almonds. I'm sure it tastes fantastic, but I'm not in the mood to separate eggs, so I went back to Dorie Greenspan's recipe from Baking from My Home to Yours.

Waiting for them to emerge from the oven, I am tortured by their sweet buttery fragrance. At the end of my patience, I burned my hasty fingers sliding them from their molds. The results, as always were fantastic. Tart lemon and the round, smooth flavor of honey are perfect in the buttery madeleine.

Meyer Lemon Honey Madeleines (makes 12)
adapted from Dories Greenspan Baking from My Home to Yours
inspired by Paricia Wells Simply French p. 262-265

2 eggs
5 tbsp butter, melted
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cake flour
pinch of salt
1 meyer lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a madeleine pan. Set aside.

Melt butter in a double boiler over moderate heat. Set aside to cool. Using a mortar and pestle, grind sugar and zest from one Meyer lemon. Whisk together eggs and sugar until pale yellow and doubled in size. Fold in the sifted flour, pinch of salt, and baking powder. Gradually whisk in cooled melted butter, honey, and juice of the Meyer lemon. Spoon into molds and bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown and plump. The madeleines should slide easily out of their molds. Serve with coffee or tea.

Almond Chocolate Biscotti

Dear Devon,

Settling back into routine after a long and restful vacation has been my biggest challenge these first few weeks of January 2010. It's awful to realize that *gasp* you work five days a week! Notwithstanding, I've started to hate the alarm clock, cruel, insensitive machine! Stop your infernal ringing at 8:15 AM. It's just horrible to be so violently awoken. To ease the pain of waking, I made some biscotti for my morning coffee. It helps and thus far I have not succumbed to the temptation to turn back the alarm another hour.

The simple fact about my existence is, I need to have cookies in the house. I am not a big snack food person, but somehow I feel a day cannot be complete without one or maybe two cookies. The sun rises and sets, and I have my cookies. Upon returning to New York, I discovered my apartment to be cookie-free. (I guess I decided that air travel couldn't be tolerated without cookies, either.) I pulled out my books and started dreaming up some wonderful delights. Biscotti caught my eye. It has been awhile since I made biscotti. They have always been well-received and now that I am an occasional drinker I am enjoying them even more.


Making biscotti is one of those things that seems more impressive than it really is. The directions are slightly more difficult than your basic cookie. After making the batter, divide the dough in half and shape into two long loaves on a single parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Leave about two inches between the loaves. In the past, I underestimated that distance. The result was an interconnected log of baked cookie. Slicing the loaves is the part I look forward to the most, something about using a bread knife. Place the slices on the baking sheet and continue baking, flipping once for even baking. I hate flipping the hot slices. I just don't have the patience to flip forty biscotti. My solution is to call someone over while I mull over the stresses in the kitchen. Baking is never without drama.

Dorie Greenspan, my great friend, again provided the basic recipe. With this recipe, she lists a number of variations. I opened my pantry to see what was available. Hazelnuts and chocolate would have made a great combination, but I was too lazy to roast my hazelnuts. Dried fruit is nice but I only had dried apples, not for this recipe, and somehow cranberries seemed too sweet. I found a stash of pumpkin seeds stored in a glass jar with a brown gingham top. I had purchased a huge lot of them for a yummy granola I made before the holidays. Dorie called for sliced almonds, so why not flat, green pumpkin seeds? I tossed in 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for fun and threw the whole thing in the oven.




I first made these biscotti using cornmeal and vanilla, opting against almond flavoring. The cornmeal makes the cookie a bit lighter but the texture can be slightly gritty. For my second batch, I used ground almonds and almond extract. Intensely fragrant, almond extract is not a flavoring I often use. I was a bit surprised by the result. It was a bit sweeter than I like. I toyed with the idea of reducing the amount of almond extract, but upon discussion with my testers was convinced against tampering with the recipe. The chocolate and almond flavors pair beautifully, but the pumpkin seeds are a bit too subtle. Their biggest contribution is the delightful green specks scattered throughout the cookie.

Soon the kitchen and living room were filled with a heady aroma from the oven. Perfectly lined up on the sheets, the sliced cookies were a welcome sight for this cookie monster. And someone stole a bite while they were cooling on the window sill (no, it wasn't me)!




Almond Chocolate Biscotti
adapted from Dorie Greenspan Baking: From My Home To Yours
makes a week's worth or 28 to 32 biscotti

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) room temperature butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup + couple of handfuls pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. In a second large bowl, beat the softened butter with sugar, using a hand mixer or the beater attachment. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in almond extract. Gradually add flour mixture and blend just until mixed. I like to finish the mixing by hand to avoid overmixing. Using a flexible rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips and 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or silpat. Divide the dough roughly in half. Form the dough into two even logs, roughly 2 inches wide by 12 inches long. Use a knife to assist in making the logs more rectangular. Sprinkle the tops with a few handfuls of pumpkin seeds. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes. The logs should be a light golden brown and spring back when gently touched. Cool for 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Leave the oven on.

When the logs are cool, carefully remove them from the baking sheet and place on a large cutting board. Use a sharp bread knife, cut the logs into 1 inch slices. Place the slices on the pan, cut side up. Return to the oven and continue baking for 10 minutes. Flip the slices over and bake for another 10 minutes. I like to arrange the slices so that they all face the same direction: That way I can tell which slices have been flipped. The biscotti are done when they are lightly golden and slighly crispy. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Don't be alarmed if the biscotti feel a bit fragile, they will harden as they cool. Store in an air tight container. In my experience, they are best eaten within the week.

For a slight variation, substitute ground almonds for the 1/2 cup cornmeal and switch almond extract for vanilla in the same proportion.

I Call It Brownie Cake

Dear Devon,

A lukewarm response to my much praised and loved brownies encouraged me to rethink this American dessert. Some people can't get excited about brownies. I won't name names, but they exist, and I know such a person. They feel that there are so many wonderful desserts out there, why make brownies? I suppose, some of us are too spoiled by on-demand sweet potato pies and regular batches of biscotti to take much notice of a freshly baked, chocolate laden brownie.

Making the perfect brownie has been something of an obsession for me. In high school, I once made the mistake of making a batch of dry and tasteless bronwies. I have never been able to live this down. In certain circles, the story still haunts me. But, taking this critique in stride, I have, ten years later, developed an amazingly fudgy, dense, and absolutely sensational brownie recipe. Unfortunately, there are some who, while admitting admiration for my brownies, feel that it can be difficult to get excited about them.

Dorie Greenspan's book Baking: From My Home to Yours has several fantastic brownie recipes. I absolutely love this cookbook and will probably make everything in the book within my lifetime, if not in the next two years. My favorite brownie is the first recipe listed. The brownies are unusual in their thickness. These are not the 2 inch behemoths you find in gourmet bakeries. But at 3/4 of an inch in thickness, my brownies pack an intense chocolate flavor. I played with the recipe adding a bit more chocolate and a tablespoon of espresso to boost the flavors. The brownies come out dark and moist with a crisp and crackled surface.

While wrestling with the challenge to make a more exciting brownie, I decided to bake my way through Dorie's brownie recipes. The result was an amazing range of brownie production. The proportions of ingredients, that is, fat to flour and chocolate, varied noticeably, as did the final brownie. In the end, I was inspired by these recipes to produce a brownie that combined the bold chocolate flavor of a brownie with the light, airy texture of a moist cake.

I liked the idea of making a flourless chocolate cake with a touch of flour. I often think of flourless chocolate cakes as brownies on steroids. To maintain the intense chocolatiness of brownies, I opted for 10 oz of chocolate, combining semi-sweet and bittersweet. I like the complexity of flavor produced by mixing the two chocolates. To ensure richness and moistness, I upped the butter by half and increased the flour two-fold. I added the zest from the clementine and half a vanilla bean. The zest did not have a huge effect. The fruit wasn't ripe, but I imagine orange zest would work very nicely. The last piece of seasoning was salt. I used big crystals of kosher salt, liberally sprinkled into the flour. It makes for an unexpected bit of savory in an otherwise sweet dessert.

What came out of the oven was lovely. My brownie cake embodied the essence and flavor of brownie: the intense chocolate, the wonderful crackly crust, and the moistness and texture of a cake. Gone was the dense and powerful fudge brownie. Instead a lovely chocolate cake emerged with the spirit of a brownie.


Brownie Cake

6 oz of butter

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 oz bitter sweet chocolate
1 tbsp espresso

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 vanilla bean
1 tbsp citrus zest (orange probably works best)

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13 x 9 inch pan.

Melt butter and chocolate in the top bowl of a double boiler. Add espresso. Watch the melting chocolate and butter vigilantly, occasionally stirring the contents to promote even melting and prevent the butter and chocolate from scorching. In a large work bowl, measure out the sugar and scrape the seeds from half a vanilla bean. Add zest. Whisk together to mix. Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture directly to the sugar, whisking vigorously. Add the eggs, one at a time, thoroughly mixing in each egg. Don't be alarmed if the mixture looks curdled, just keep blending. The chocolate mixture will get thick and dense. Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Pour batter into the buttered pan. Bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes, until the center is set. I use the toothpick test. Cool slightly before serving. Brownie cake is nice with a big scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream, a tall glass of milk, or as a midnight snack.

P.S. Happy New Year! Been spending the holiday traveling up and down the California coast. I have lots of pictures to share.

xxx

Chocolate Chip Madeleines

Dear Devon,

I have recently developed a taste for coffee. In the past, I only appreciated its smell, and the ritual of brewing. Rarely, did I drink it. The best part had always been grinding the beans and pushing down the plunger on the French press. But gradually, I grew to appreciate its flavor. Sweetened with a bit of sugar and diluted with warm milk, coffee is tasty. Now, my biggest fear is becoming a coffee-dependent zombie. Don't worry, it won't happen. I've managed to avoid being zombified by restraining myself to a few indulgent sips in the morning.


Why is it that in my late twenties, I have finally come to enjoy coffee? I blame the accessories. What shoes or handbags, earrings and scarves are to a fashion statement, biscotti and madeleines, croissants or donuts are to a great cup of coffee. A buttery madeleine or a crisp biscotti lightly moistened with coffee soothes the nerves after the merciless call of the alarm and chases away the lingering grogginess of sleep. Dressed in a simple flannel bathrobe, I feel decadent and I confess a bit cavalier with my tight morning schedule. (If I'm late, I promise, there were delays on the train.)


Lately, madeleines occupy my mind. I love their elegant shape and subtle flavor. A recent trip to the Silver Moon Bakery inspired me to butter and flour my madeleine pan. Silver Moon on the Upper West Side makes the most delicious cakes, pastries, and breads. They flavor their madeleines with a light sprinkling of slivered almonds or chocolate. Inspired by this idea, I baked a dozen madeleines dusted with chopped bittersweet chocolate. Thinking about more madeleines for tomorrow, numerous flavors come to mind including coconut, pistachio, lemon verbena, jasmine, and dried cherries.


Forget the coffee, these are addictive!!


Chocolate Chip Madeleine
Makes 12 madeleines (adapted from Dorie Greenspan)

4 oz melted butter
2 eggs
2/3 cup flour
½ cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
chocolate chips coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare madeleine pan: butter molds and lightly flour. Set aside.

Gently melt butter over a pot of simmering water.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs with sugar until the ribbon stage. The mixture should be pale yellow and doubled in volume. Alternately mix in flour and melted butter in several stages, energetically whisking in between additions. The batter should be thick and dense. Flavor the batter with vanilla and salt, whisk until combined. Set aside for 10 minutes.

With a large spoon, generously fill each mold. Sprinkle the tops with coarsely cut bittersweet chocolate.

Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the tops spring back when gently touched. The edges should be golden brown. The madeleines should release from their molds fairly easily. Let rest on a cooling rack. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

P.S. I love your suggestion for everyday fruit tart. I am going to try it out. I just bought some beautiful tiny pears which will be perfect in your recipe. Will keep you posted!!