Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Earl Grey Madeleines

Makes 12 cookies

Infusing the butter with tea is a technique that cookbook author Dorie Greenspan learned from the tea masters at Mariage Freres in Paris. Adapted from her "Baking: From My Home to Yours" (Houghton Mifflin, 2006).

Although the batter can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, the madeleines should be eaten soon after they are made. They can be stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for 1 day. They can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 2 months.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pans

2 tablespoons loose Earl Grey tea

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch salt

1/3 cup sugar

Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave oven. Add the tea and allow it to infuse for 15 minutes. Line a small sieve with a double layer of damp cheesecloth, then strain the butter into a small bowl; discard the tea leaves. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Place the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl and, using your fingertips, work the zest into the sugar until the mixture is fragrant. Add the eggs. Using the stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and zest for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and thick. Add the honey and vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the dry ingredients. When they are incorporated, fold in the butter. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or for up to 2 days. This long chill will help the batter form the hump that is characteristic of madeleines. (For convenience, you can spoon the batter into the madeleine molds, cover and chill, then bake the cookies directly from the fridge.)

When you're ready to bake, center a rack in the oven; preheat to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 12 full-size madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Or, if you have a nonstick madeleine pan, give it a light coating of cooking spray oil. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Spoon the batter into the molds. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes (start checking after 8 minutes), or until the madeleines are golden and the tops spring back when touched. Remove the pan from the oven and release the madeleines from the mold by rapping the edge of the pan against the counter. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool to just-warm or room temperature.

Per cookie: 119 calories, 2 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 49 mg cholesterol, 3 g saturated fat, 52 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber

Recipe tested by Michael A. Trimarchi; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com