Anyone who knows me is well aware of my massive addiction to tea. Any tea. Honestly, if you kept making it, I'd keep drinking it. In fact, I better put the kettle on.... Where were we? Oh yes, tea! I love it, nay adore it, so obviously any recipe I happen across using those magical little leaves just has to be tried!
Today, while reorganising my kitchen cupboards, I came across my vintage madeleine pan. I bought this pan in a preemptive flight of fancy when I first joined Sweet Melissa Sundays. Her chestnut honey madeleines had me crazy with anticipation. A year later and those sweet little dears have yet to be chosen and remain on the bench. But fear not, my choice is coming back around *rubs hands*. But yes, my tin. I took it out of its resting place for the past 12 months and remembered just why I bought it. Not only for my desired SMS treat, but for it's beauty, age and charmingly battered facade. I often wonder how many cakes this tray has turned out, how many owners has it had and just how many years it has existed in France before I cruelly dragged it to England. I fell instantly in relove with my little pan and forgot all about my current spring clean and set about making madeleines. Earl Grey Tea Madeleines to be precise.
I fear that the earl grey flavor was slightly overpowered by the lemon zest in this recipe but that didn't stop them from being super tasty! Especially when dipped in a huge cup of steaming tea ;)
Earl Grey Madeleines
Recipe from: (Baking: From My Home to Yours)
5 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2 large eggs,
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
powder sugar for dusting
Melt the butter and add the tea leaves. Stir to combine and allow the tea to infuse into the butter for 15 minutes. Strain the tea leaves from the butter using a strainer lined with cheesecloth (or tea bag paper).
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
Mix together the sugar and lemon zest with your fingers.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and zest until thickened (2-3 mins). Add the honey and vanilla extract and whisk for another minute.
Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture very gently with a spatula. Gently mix in the strained butter (mine had hardened so I softened it a bit in the microwave). Cover with plastic wrap and chill ( 3 hours- 2 days, per Dorie).
Preheat the oven to 200 (I found that mine were over baked at this temperature so I'd reduce to 180). Butter and flour a madeleine pan. Distribute the batter equally between the 12 molds.
Bake for 10 minutes and check (mine were done at 8). Bake until the tops are firm to the touch, up to 14 minutes. Remove from the molds by tapping the pan. Dust with powdered sugar.
Serve with a cup of Earl Grey tea, obviously!
