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I have been reading my good friend Jonathan’s new blog entries with interest, in particular those discussing what he has been cooking at home. Inspired, I thought I would talk a bit about my minor obsession with Madeleines.

References to Proust and the first Transporter movie aside, (could two cultural references be any further apart?) it began humbly enough when I brought home a lovely balsa wood box full of Madeleines from Balducci’s in Riverside.  Each impossibly proportioned, individually wrapped and of course quite delicious.  I would routinely buy them, but they rarely stayed around the house for long.  After a while they were no longer available at Balducci’s, and I eventually stopped my occasional trips to Riverside as I discovered there were better places to source some of my favorite treats like Limonata and manchego.

About fourteen months ago I found myself at home on a weekday with Caleb who was home sick from daycare.  On a whim some weeks prior I had bought a single madeleine pan and it seemed like a logical time to break it in.  This was the beginning.

Madeleines have since become a minor ritual around here, something to which Susan, Josh and Caleb can happily attest.  I’ve experimented with a few recipes, but found that I prefer this one from 101 Cookbooks as it is relatively simple, the most authentic, somewhat technically challenging, and best of all requires no leavening agent.  I omit the powdered sugar and find that temperature and timing are key.  In my convection oven 8 to 9 minutes lead to the perfect state of doneness, especially if you like your madeleines as I do, more “sticky” to the touch and less like a dry butter cake, which is what you get if they are overdone.  Either way the results are still edible and noone complains.  Josh has been known to scarf an entire plateful for breakfast with nary a trace of guilt.

Part of the appeal for me is the simplicity.  I have done enough complex pastries to feel comfortable in carrying off various tarts and tatin, but  for me, a well made madeleine is an unpretentious pleasure that requires no adornment.  All you have to to is pick it up and in two or three bites it is gone.