Happy Monday. Ha. Did you have a good weekend? Mine was quiet — with a little baking and a lot of quilting. Perfect. When I made my first batch of madeleines years ago, I thought I’d found the perfect recipe. Light and crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. Then, I promply lost that recipe. In the years since then, I’ve searched through my cookbooks and elsewhere for a decent recipe, but they’re always tough and heavy like rocks. (Sorry Martha, I didn’t like your Madeleines.) Over the weekend, I decided to try the Madeleine recipe from the book Laduree: The Sweet Recipes.
They were pretty darn perfect, crispy and light, just like I think they should be. I know you’re probably thinking that I burned them. And what are those funny humps? Well, that’s how they’re supposed to look — see, here’s the picture from the Laduree book. (I still might take them out a bit earlier next time though.)
If you’d like to try them, you can find the recipe here . They’re really best eaten the same day that they’re baked. They still taste good today, but the crispness is gone from the exterior. (Any tips or hints to keep them crispy on the outside?)
Hey, wanna see MeMum’s little teacup up close? Isn’t it cute?
I also machine quilted this weekend. A Lot. And my arms are sore to prove it. I worked on the foundation quilt for all the yoyos. I finally got up enough nerve to try it and the quilting went well. Look Ma, no walking foot!
I do love my little Hester. Viking has an even feed feature on some of their machines (maybe all of them for all I know) and it makes quilting SO much easier. More on the yo-yo quilt in the days to come. The machine quilting is done, but she’s still a long way from being finished!
XOXO,
Anna
I want to try madelines one day, need to get a pan though. Why not crisp them up in the oven for a short bit the next day, I doubtthey’d last longer than that.
I love my even feed foot, I don’t even own a walking foot for my machine. I can’t wait to see the finish.
I adore Madeleines but have never made them myself mostly because I haven’t got the right pan for it. Your cup of tea with the little cakes looks so inviting; just right for morning tea!
And your dear Hester is getting a right work out. I also prefer to quilt without the walking foot, but sometimes it still works better than the integrated dual feed I have on my machine.
Oh dear…that’s a recipe I definitely need to try. Looks so, so yummy!! That is one very sweet teacup. Your quilting looks wonderful. I can see why your arms would be sore with all those lines to quilt! Great job.
Oh yummy Madeleines. I have never made them, but saw Rachel Khoo of Little Paris Kitchen, make them on YouTube. You must watch her sometime.
Baking and quilting sound like the perfect match. Love that sweet tea cup.
Your Madeleines look and sound delicious. Maybe one of these days I’ll try making them. But it’s your Mom’s cup and saucer that steal the show. They are practically perfect in every way.
Bon jour mon ami! My father loved these petit cakes. The bakery in Olympia had the best. They used almond flour. Much better than plain flour. And, I do believe it is available at Trader Joe’s. Recommend keeping in the fridge as it keeps better. Bon chance! (How’s that for college French?)
Yum, I love Madeline’s. I didn’t know that you sew on a Viking. I love my 555.
Sounds like a lovely weekend. Mine was okay…busier than I would have liked and worked all afternoon on Sunday.
The teacup is adorable and I love the madelines. Rachel Koo’s Little Paris Kitchen has a great recipe for them with lemon curd inside!
Is that the Tomten?
I love madeleines. Generally mine are not great – a bit rubbery if truth be told – but I may have to try your new recipe. Yum.
I’ve never heard of these little cakes. I might have to try some.
I love the pattern you are quilting in the border…I’m thinking of using that in my big quilt that I’m hand quilting.
Cute little cakes, and I will try out the recipe. Sounds like something that would be fun to have when my applique group meets at my house. Love the cup – its fun to have special cups for special times.
Ok now…I looked at the recipe and it is in grams! You don’t by any chance have that converted to cups and measuring spoons, do you? LOL…guess I am going to have to do some internet search for a conversion table.
You know … all the years I’ve invested in the kitchen I don’t think I’ve ever made Madeleines. I may have to seek out a proper pan, snag a copy of the book and make them!
Merry quilting!
I’ve never had a Madeline nor have I witnessed the making of a yo-yo quilt. I’m looking forward to both now. Thank you for the recipe link, the Madelines sound like the perfect accompaniment to tea.
I have a Pfaff 2170 that insists on quilting in the most hateful manner. I will try an even feed foot. Gosh, thank you!
Hi Anna, I love that china – are they little stars on the rims of the saucer and sideplate? I’ve been thinking that I really need to be brave and try machine quilting again. A friend has been producing lovely strip quilts lately that she has very simply quilted in straight lines and her machine hasn’t been mean to her – so maybe mine won’t either?! Lucy xx
sadly, Sven and Thor and Lilly do NOT have even-feeds, and they are ALL Vikings … darn it (bwah ha ha) … your Madeleines look soooo good! and you can give me all the day-old ones – i LIKE them soft!!!
Love it all! I would never even think of attempting machine quilting on my pathetic machine. Some day I’m going to kick its tires and leave it on the side of the road. Ha!
Oh home made madeleines. To die for. I have to laugh about your arms being sore. I get that. Sweet post. That perfect recipe is wonderful to find.
I hear you about arms being sore after the weekend I had :) Love the tea cup and now my mouth is watering seeing the madeleines.
I’ve been wanting to make madeleines since trying them at a little French bakery near here. I discovered this video and I think this is the recipe I’ll try first. Then I’ll try a lemon one I found on Pinterest…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLVKUHsbk9c
If the link doesn’t work, go to Youtube and look up Madeleines and the cooking with Chris recipe.
Oh yum, those madeleines look good! It’s just as well that I don’t bake, or I would be a rather large lady if I made all the yummy cakes I see on blogs!! Sheepies in today’s post!
Love baking-especially yummy treats that go well with coffee! :) I will have to try these! Hoping the arms are feeling better! :)
That is a beautiful looking tablescape – I have eaten, but never baked madeleines. There just isn’t room for another pan in my baking cupboard.
Thank you for the link to the madeleine recipe. I haven’t made them before.
Hope you get lots of time soon to finish the quilting.
No Walking foot? What the?
I love mine and can’t imagine quilting without it.
Your madeleines looks lovely – and your tea cup is adorable.
Now that is a classy afternoon treat.
I too, would love to try making Madeleines, but I don’t have a pan, and haven’t made it a point to get one. Someday… But looking at them is sending me into the kitchen for a cup of tea.
Mmmmm…looks tasty. Did you see the brown butter and coconut madeleine recipe on Spoonful of Sugar. What a happy coincident! Here’s a link if you need it… http://www.aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/2013/02/brown-butter-and-coconut-madeleines.html
Tease….yo-yo quilt?
The madeleines look delicious Anna! I guess I’ve been living under a rock though, because I have never heard of a madeleine before. :) I might just have to give these a try because they look like something my dad would love (and me too!) :)
Oh my goodness, I LOVE Madeleines. There are several French bakeries in my area that make scrumptiously good ones. I commend you on baking your own – I don’t think I could manage that. I am dreadful at baking anything except bread.
I haven’t had madeline success in a long time. I used to make them all the time, then suddenly they stopped working. Don’t know if it’s my oven or what. I have a nonstick and a regular pan even. I love that they’re supposed to be crispy edged here, I always wanted that paleface madeline maybe that’s my downfall.
Oh, those look delicious! I think I actually have a madeline pan and will definitely try these. Love the teacup and saucer…and your quilting is inspiring. Hope all is well…
Divine! Laduree always has a line around the block but I have only had their macrons. :) I will have to try these and check out the book.
I too had a great recipe and lost it, but FOUND it. Best madeline recipe ever. Bon Appetite April 2007, in the front section where they find recipes of food people have had at a restaurant. Worth a try if you are making them again. If I had an email I could sent you the recipe or you can go find it.