In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kristin Tice Studeman has curated a digital cookbook titled Serving New York: For All the People Who Make NYC Dining Unforgettable ($15, inHouse at Home), featuring recipes by some of NYC’s cordon bleu chefs. Each purchase of the cookbook will go directly toward the restaurant worker relief fund by Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants and Robin Hood Foundation, which combats poverty in NYC, to help financially support restaurant employees during this period.
Among the 45-plus chefs such as Andrew Carmellini and David Chang, French chef Daniel Boulud has bestowed his recipe for madeleine cookies. “The simplest thing is the thing people remember the most. The madeleine is one of the things people crave—it doesn’t matter how young or old you are,” Boulud writes in the book, “so, universally, this is one of those cookies that just makes everyone happy.” Encompassing the sweet flavors of France, this sugar-coated pastry leaves a lasting impression after the first taste. Here, learn how to bring Boulud’s classic French dessert into your own kitchen.
Madeleines
Serves 12
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup + 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon honey
1 lemon, zested
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Whisk baking powder, salt and flour in a small bowl until combined.
Whisk eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, honey and lemon zest in a medium bowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Whisk in dry ingredients until just incorporated. Whisk in melted butter until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer batter to a pastry bag or small resealable plastic bag and chill at least one hour, until thickened.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat madeleine pan or mini muffin pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Snip end (½ inch) off pastry bag or corner of resealable bag and pipe batter into each mold, filling each two-thirds full.
Bake madeleines until edges are golden brown and centers are puffed and lightly spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick, inserted, comes out clean, about five minutes for mini and eight to 10 minutes for regular cookies.
Tap pan against counter to release madeleines. Using a sieve, dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. Store cooled madeleines in an airtight container.
