madeleine, je t'aime!

some things in life are just worth the calories and these classic little shell shaped cakes from france are definitely one of them. ummm, let me restate that — this recipe definitely makes them worth it.

as we all know, not all recipes are created equally. having tried/tested quite a few versions over the years, this one (from baker florence edelmann), is really one of the best. madeleines can be of a very light and spongy (génoise) variety or a slightly heavier, almost poundcake type, one. these fit the latter description however there are purists who will say they should be of the former texture. that is up for debate.

as génoise recipes are fussy and can be difficult for the average baker, this is a good alternative. note that a génoise does not use baking powder but only the eggs itself as a leavener. this recipe includes a leavening agent in addition to the eggs. there are, however, many variations of madeleine recipes. you should also plan ahead for this recipe as you need to chill the dough overnight. trust me though, it's all well worth your effort .... after trying these, you won't say no to them — in fact, you won't be able to stop with just a single one.

these small cakes, best eaten the same day they are made, should be sweet, light and buttery (not to mention memorable). these ones are all that and more. the only drawback is that you must use a madeleine pan which come in two sizes: the regular size (large) and the mini (about the size of half your thumb). i recommend buying the standard sized pan. you may want to invest in a non-stick one. i have the regular kind which must be well buttered and floured (an essential step).

whichever type of pan you end up buying, fill them up with this cake batter and watch some really wonderful french pâtisserie come out of your oven :)


madeleines classiques

it is best to make the mixture the night before and let it chill in the refrigerator until the next day. you can, in a pinch, use it right away. the dough can also be kept until the day after, if not baking all the madeleines that same day.

makes ~ 24 +

ingredients:

2 eggs
3/4 c - 1 tbsp (150g) sugar
1 pkg (2 tsp) vanilla sugar
8 tbsp butter (1/2 c) = 125 g, at room temperature
1 c + 2 tbsp (150 g) AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 - 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)

1 tbsp dark processed cocoa (for 1/2 the dough; double it for all chocolate)

method:

place the eggs, sugar and vanilla sugar in a medium sized bowl.

in another bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder together. set this aside.

divide the butter into 3 equal portions and set aside. make sure it is at room temperature before blending it in (see following).

with an electric beater, beat the eggs and sugars for about 4 to 5 minutes until it is pale yellow and very thick. this is very important (1 to 2 minutes of beating will not suffice); the idea is to have the sugar melt completely & incorporate enough air so as to form a very thick mixture.

once the eggs and sugar have been mixed, add the butter and flour in 3 separate additions, beating well each time.

after the butter and flour has been added, decide how you want to flavour the batter.

you can have it all vanilla (add the lemon zest, if wanted) or make a half batch of chocolate or all chocolate.

if making a chocolate batter, you'll need to sift the cocoa very well first into another bowl. either take half the batter (or all of it - double the amount of cocoa (2 tbsp) here) and blend it with the cocoa.

take note: the chocolate madeleines do not release as well as the plain vanilla so take extra care to flour your pan very well.

at this point, refrigerate the dough overnight or for several hours (overnight is best).

before baking, set your oven to 375 F (170C).

remove the cake batter from the refrigerator; it will have solidified. this is correct. well butter your madeleine pan(s) and flour them.

using a tablespoon, measure out enough batter for each and place it in the center of the madeleines.

you may need about 1 tbsp and 1/4 tbsp more for the chocolate batter. it seems to require a little more than the plain vanilla.

bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

remove and LET COOL COMPLETELY. with a butterknife, carefully pluck each madeleine out. the chocolate ones tend to be fussy so proceed carefully in extracting them.

enjoy with a nice espresso or cup of strong tea!

two minute tapenade

tapenades, or olive paste spreads, are great items to have on hand for quick hors d'oeuvres or condiments to use for sandwiches or just eating with breads like pita or sliced baguettes. they are simple to make and can be tailored to suit your own individual tastes. one can use black type olives, like kalamata, or green types — or even a mixture of both.

i make very simple ones from already pitted and sliced olives (in brine) when i'm feeling lazy. otherwise, i like to use olives cured in oil and those which i pit myself. typically, i add capers and anchovy paste but not everyone likes that sort of thing or will eat it if they are vegetarian. i guess you have to know your crowd when you make this!

i'm calling this the two minute tapenade because that is literally how long it should take to make it once you have everything ready to go. how easy is that?



two minute tapenade

makes about 3/4 to 1 cup

ingredients:

1 jar sliced olives (drained) -- 375 mL
1/4 - 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

lemon juice
black pepper
salt, to taste

optional:

1 - 2 tbsp capers (i use rinsed salt preserved ones)
1 - 3 anchovies or anchovy paste to taste


method:

drain olives and place in food processor with 2 tbsp olive oil. if using the capers and anchovies, add them now.

pulse the olives (and other ingredients if using) until they are ground.

add about 2 tbsp more olive oil and blend again until you get a paste. some people like it a bit textured so you will have to decide what you like.

remove to a bowl and add a bit of lemon juice and black pepper and stir well.

store in a small jar and cover with another tablespoon or two of olive oil.

enjoy!

flavours from the south of france

nothing says southern france more than la pissaladière. the amalgamation of bold flavours make this well-known "pizza" a winner in my books. of course, it helps that i love anchovies, caramelized onions and olives.

salty, sweet, briny and herbal, this is a perfect mix of flavours especially when served alongside a green salad, mixed with arugula or watercress, and some bold red wine.

the following recipe is a very simple one and comes from my father's family. i remember this being something special since it took a bit of work to prepare. while it is not terribly labour-intensive, it does involve cooking the onions for up to 2 hours (depending on how many onions one is cooking). luckily, one doesn't need to hover over the stove for the cooking time. all it really requires is a stir every once in a while.

pissaladière is great to take along for, or serve at, cocktail or dinner parties where it can be cut into small squares. a little goes a long way as it is intensely flavoured. when made well, it is also beautiful to look at. i have seen versions including goat cheese or minus the anchovies. abomination! pissaladiere includes these little fish .... always.

if you don't eat them, for whatever reason, you can leave them out and make a vegetarian version. i'd include something salty to replace them, like perhaps a crumbled halloumi cheese. if you're follwing a vegan diet, use some mashed up chinese black beans as a substitute. don't go mental using too much though or you'll end up with a sodium disaster! ;)

note that i am making it in a jelly roll type pan since i made it for a function i was attending and needed precise measurement. the real way to do is to separate the dough into two parts and pull it out into an oblong and flatten it. the edges will be a bit thicker like that of a pizza. it is filled as shown below. either way works well.

bon appétit!


pissaladière — provençal style anchovy pizza

ingredients:

1 batch basic pizza dough

8 medium-large onions
4 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves (feuilles de laurier)
1 tsp dried thyme or 2 - 3 tbsp fresh [or 1 tsp herbes de provence]
2 tsp sugar

1 pkg (2 oz) anchovies, packed in oil
1 to 2 ripe tomatoes (optional but good)
salt and pepper
1 handful of black olives (niçoise, kalamata or oil cured) -- pit them all

1 tbsp capers, optional

use an 11 3/8 x 7 3/8 inch (44,13 x 28,89 cm) jellyroll type pan.

method:

make the dough. see this post on instructions how and for the recipe.

while the dough is rising, prepare the onions.

peel and clean up the 8 onions. this is not a job for those of you who suffer when chopping onions! chopper beware!! :)

cut each onion in half and cut coarsely or cut into half moon shapes, thinly. either is acceptable.

place olive oil and the bay leaves in a pan and place it over low heat. this is very important. do NOT cook it over medium or high heat.

add the onions and the herbs. mix well.

cover the pot with the lid and cook for up to 2 hours. it may take 1 1/2 hours but the onions should be somewhat brown-ish once finished cooking.

you will notice half way through cooking that they will have only wilted. this is normal. at this point, add the 2 tsp of sugar and stir again. this will help the browning process. it takes a lonnnnng time. you will also see that there is much liquid released. this will disappear in the following step.

at the end of the cooking time, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium high. cook until the liquid evaporates.


set the onions aside to cool in a bowl.

preheat your oven to 450 about a 1/2 hour before you are going to bake.

take the dough which has proved as a whole piece and place it on a parchment paper. do NOT punch it down and form it into a ball. this is totally unnecessary and is in many a recipe's instructions. it only seizes up the gluten and makes rolling more difficult and causes you to have to wait for it relax again.

with your hands spread the dough out into a rough rectangle.


roll it out into an 11 x 7 inch rectangular shape.

place the whole thing in the jelly roll pan. stretch it out to the edges. try to make it as even as possible. if you are lucky to have a pin that fits inside the pan, roll it out in there. it will result in a perfect rectangle.

place the onion mix in the center of the dough.

now spread it out very evenly with a spatula.
remove the bay leaves and discard them. after spreading them evenly, salt and pepper the surface.

take the anchovies, one by one, and make a design with them over the onions. often the typical design is a cross-hatch. my family makes it as shown here.

place the olives over the onions and anchovies. make SURE they are all pitted. nothing is worse than cracking your tooth on an olive pit! it's also more refined to use pitted ones.

at this point, you can add capers if you like and even bake the pissaladière now (as is commonly done). we add sliced tomatoes. make sure they are thinly sliced.

bake the whole for 40 to 45 minutes. lower the oven to 350 F after 10 minutes.

serve warm or at room temperature.

enjoy!