TWD: An exercise in economic stimulus?

Or just an excuse to wander around Sur la Table like the proverbial kid in a candy store?

One of the best parts of the baking groups I belong to is the occasional opportunity to supplement my supply of kitchen equipment. A crepe pan. Six four-inch heart-shaped springforms. A jellyroll pan. And now, thanks to Tara over at Smells Like Home, a Madeleine tin joins my kitchen collection.

Hey... I consider it doing my part to stimulate the economy...

I'd never made Madeleines before and assumed since they were French they had to be ingredient rich, fussy and time consuming to make. I was somewhat surprised when I consulted the recipe and realized that they're none of the above. Ten minutes to mix a handful of ingredients together, a couple of hours in the refrigerator and another ten minutes in the oven and presto: French pastry. I can DO this! (with a step stool, my five year old nephew can do this).

I stayed pretty true to the published recipe for Dorie's Traditional Madeleines, substituting orange for lemon zest rather than running to the grocery store for a single ingredient. Like many of my fellow Doristas, I got a little overzealous in filling my Madeleine forms so the end results are more rustic than patisserie… but I'm proud of them. We're having a heat wave out here in Northern California, so I'm serving them with Ben & Jerry's (Fair Trade) Coffee Ice Cream. Yum!

Curious how other Doristas fared with this one? Check out the blogroll. Got a new Madeleine pan and want to try them out for yourself? Tara's posted the recipe.

From the archives...
In 2006 we enjoyed local food with an Italian flair.

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