This week’s SMS was chosen by Debbie of Cafe Chibita: chestnut honey madeleines. It’s been a really busy few days here and honestly, I’m just exhausted, so these madeleines almost didn’t happen. I had all the ingredients on hand though, and my madeleine pan is so infrequently utilized I couldn’t help but make a little time to whip these cookies up.
Turns out, it took me quite a bit of time to get this batter together. The recipe calls for roasted hazelnuts and for some reason, when I bought hazelnuts many months ago I bought the ones in the shell with the skins on. I don’t have a fancy gadget to crack the nuts, so I spent yesterday afternoon standing over my kitchen counter with a meat mallet trying to free my hazlenuts from their shells. It works, but it’s loud and messy (think pieces of hazelnut shells strewn all over). Once I finished that task, I roasted the nuts at 350 F for about 10 minutes then rubbed the skins off of them before finally grinding them in the food processor to make a coarse flour.
The rest of the recipe was considerably easier. The hazelnut flour, more confectioners’ sugar and some all-purpose flour are combined with egg whites that have been whipped until foamy as well as a bit of honey (I used clover honey). Finally, browned butter is added to the bowl to complete the batter (I left the solids in my brown butter – extra flavor!). The molds are filled and then have to be refrigerated for a few hours before they’re baked. After all the time I spent putting the batter together, I was disappointed to find my madeleines already on the brink of burning before the minimum baking time suggested in the book. I’m generally very attentive to things in the oven, but we were outside doing yard work so I was running in and out and at about 12 minutes my madeleines looked, well, like you see in the photos. I hid some of the darker ones on the bottom so those are the good ones that are visible.
Hazelnuts aren’t really my thing, so I wasn’t shocked I didn’t love the madeleines. They were too nutty for me. That said, I served them at the Father’s Day lunch we hosted today and they seemed to be well received. No rave reviews, but I did see one or two people go back for seconds so I think it’s safe to say they liked them. Many thanks to Debbie for hosting this week! She will share the recipe on her site or you can find it on pages 62-63 of The Sweet Melissa Baking Book.
Your madeleines look really nice!
These were actually VERY good! The hazelnut flavor to me was subtle, but I love that flavor, so maybe it would seem stronger to those who aren’t fans.
I must confess I was one of the ones that went back for seconds (I didn’t think anyone noticed). I should have been more vocal, but after vacation, a busy work week and the Cape trip this weekend, I was kind of on the quiet and mellow side. Great job ! (and great photos as well, love the shot of them out of the form and dusted).
They look great, even if they’re a bit darker than you wanted. I really need to make madeleines again–I haven’t made them since we did them for TWD, and that was…wow, over 2 years ago! Okay, they’re definitely going in the “make soon” pile. =)
These look beautiful! Makes me really want the pan. I loved these.
I cheated and had hubby crack them for me and I left the skins on when I ground them up. I don’t think you can tell?
Making these with ground hazelnuts sounds really good. I’m going to try some soon. thanks!
These are wonderful! Beautiful shots of these as well…
Yep, mine baked quickly and the flavor wasn’t thrilling to me either. That said, yours look far better than mine did. I’m impressed that you went to all that effort to free the hazelnuts from their shells!
Your madeleines are beautiful! Mine were done well before the cooking time called for in the recipe too and I thought they were very tasty.
I’d go back…. for thirds! They look wonderful Tracey – I’ve never been able to get those nicely browned edges like you have – maybe because I bought the cheap tin/steel ones at WS rather than the non-stick. Hazelnuts ARE one of those “either love ’em or hate ’em” nuts – I enjoy all nuts – so I know yours would have been wonderful!
Your madeleines look fanstastic and have a gorgeous color! I had a little issue with mine being over cooked. Mostly because I set my timer wrong. Oops!
Glad to hear they were a success at your gathering!
I am feeling better that so many people found the baking time to be too long. And, I blamed my oven…
Yours look just fine. Mine are much darker even hiding the darkest ones. I used plenty of confectioner’s sugar to hide them.
Nice job on the madeleines! It sounds like they were appreciated by your guests. I was really happy that I had roasted and peeled hazelnuts on hand, ‘cos they really are a pain to deal with.
Yum, I’ve never made madeleines before but I’ll try this summer!
hazelnuts aren’t really my favorite either- and it sounds like they caused you to get a work out with the shells! People going back for seconds is always the best way to know if they liked them.
the hazelnut flavor was very subtle to me. i was actually disappointed that the flavor didn’t shine through as i thought it would have. but this gives me inspiration to make chocolate madeleines with hazelnuts. yum.
anywho, your madeleines look great!!
Very pretty. Makes me wish I had a Madeleine pan, but given how nice mine turned out using the little flour mold, I might be OK without it. Now I wish I had bought 24 of those molds instead of 12 :o)
those look perfect to me. I like my cookies/etc a little brown. Brings out the flavor.
I’ve always wanted to make madeleines but I don’t have a pan! Looks like I’m going to have to buy one! These look great!
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Really loving the dark crispy edges on your maddies. It’s like they are wearing wyw liner. YUM.
Seeing people getting second portions – always a good sign! Sorry you didn’t like these, at least the father’s day guests did!
I happen to love hazelnuts, so I’m pretty sure I’d be going back for seconds or thirds!
Madeleines are my new favorite cookies! I just had my first at a friends place last weekend and I loove it! Thanks for waking great memories to life again 🙂
Looks great. I love the toasted edges.
Thanks for baking along with me. At least SOME of your madeleines turned out okay, and you actually checked on them before the minimum suggested baking time. I wish I’d done that! Next time, I think I’ll be baking them for only 12 minutes too, or maybe for 15 minutes at a lower temperature. 🙂
I feel your pain about the hazelnuts- I’ve been there done that (linzer cookies awhile back) … so this time I used almonds! Don’t know if you just don’t like hazelnuts, or nuts in general, but if you check out other madeleines recipes, you’ll see that they call for no nuts, Hope they work out better next time!
Your experience with the hazelnuts made me laugh. My first ever Daring Bakers Challenge called for roasted hazelnuts, and I was new and eager (and my husband bought the ones in shells because they were cheaper), so I spent literally hours cracking, roasting, and skinning those suckers.
Your finished product looks wonderful!