Madeleines Génoise (Obscene Cuisine, Recipe No. 35)
When I was a kid the only television channels we had were the local news and PBS. Every once in a while I’d catch a rerun of Julia Child’s cooking program. Her humor (occasionally of the risqué variety) and practicality were lost on my child mind. Now, years later, I’ve been rediscovering her at the suggestion of one of my coworkers, with whom I helped create a Julia Child-themed library display. I think I’ll probably go ahead and read her autobiography, My Life in France.
Today’s recipe is for mini génoise cakes cooked in madeleine molds. (And, oddly enough, they were just featured on Child’s show; they aren’t even her recipe!)
:: Madeleines Génoise ::
1 1/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter (melted, slightly above room temp)
2 eggs, 4 yolks
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
- Liberally butter, flour, and freeze your madeleine molds.
- Measure out your flour. Sift it, then measure a sifted 1 and 1/4 cup. The leftover cake flour (and there should be some!) can be transferred back to the flour container.
- Whisk 2 eggs + 4 yolks together with 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp sugar. Using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat until mixture becomes white and fluffy and the ribbon lies on top of the batter (approx 5 minutes).
- Use the hand mixer w/whisk to incorporate the vanilla.
- Resift the cake flour with 1 tbsp sugar and 1/8 tsp salt.
- Fold sifted flour mixture, in thirds, into the egg batter.
- Fold about 1 cup of the batter into the melted butter. Then fold this back into the main batter.
- Fill the madeleine molds 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes. (You’ll know they’re done when you apply slight pressure to the top of the madeleine and the cake springs back.)
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding. Unmold by firmly rapping the edge of a vertically held pan against the counter. (The madeleines should fall right out.)
Génoise can be a challenge to make because the cake itself has no chemical leavening agent. If you over- or under-beat it or screw up the folding process you’re beat! However, if you beat and fold properly this recipe will result in a perfect, light, fluffy cake. I think next time I’ll have to fold in some lemon zest or orange flower water (at the vanilla step) to make them taste a bit more like the real deal.
This recipe can also be used to make ladyfingers and petits fours. (Check out the video in the bibliography to see Julia and Flo Braker make ladyfingers, petits fours, and of course these madeleines using this batter). Since I was short on madeleine trays – my second one residing in the Julia Child display case at work – I put the rest of the batter in muffin molds. For dessert I think I’ll cut off their tops, flip them over, and ice them with some of my Mom’s special buttercream icing.
Other Madeleine Madness @ Librari[d]an:
- Petites Madeleines: A Brief History, Etymology, and FAQ
- Commercy Madeleines (O.C. Recipe No. 30)
- Easy Madeleines (O.C. Recipe No. 25)
:: Bibliography ::
- Child, Julia, and Flo Braker. Baking with Julia: Marvelous Génoise Miniatures. December 27, 1996, PBS. http://video.pbs.org/video/1174158883/program/1073557581# (15 August 2009).
Qui a tiré sur Rousseau? L’homme avec l’arme, peut-être?
Um, maybe that big muscled guy with the gun shot Rousseau? See a glimpse of the sniper here.
Also, it’s interesting to note that this scene holds a reference to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (and many other films that use the same device). The manner in which Karl is shot (see the double assassination here) is highly reminiscent of how Indy’s friend – posing as a waiter – is killed in the opening scene of Temple of Doom. (See a video here; the shooting occurs at 7:18.)
:: Bibliography ::
- AstroJones. 4×08: Who Shot Rousseau?. Sledgeweb’s LOST … STUFF. http://lost.cubit.net/archives/2008/03/4×08-danielle-shot-in-back.php (22 March 2008).
- Note: Images from the above source. Their copyright is held by whoever owns Lost. (I think it’s Disney.)
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