Is a Madeleine a Madeleine without a Madeleine pan?

marilynfl

Moderator
Just had my first chocolate Madeleine. From Starbucks, no less. It was very good....like the following recipe, but in bite-size portions.

So the question is, can I make them simply as a "drop cookie" without using an official "Madeleine" pan? Or is the pan somehow critical to the end result?

I hope not. I'm getting tired of stopping at Starbucks.

Flourless Cake

18 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate squares, finely chopped

10 large eggs, separated

10 tablespoons unsalted butter (no substitutes), softened

3/4 cup almond flour or toasted almond flour (*) or 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup dark rum (optional)

3/4 cup sugar

1. Prep:

Heat oven to 325F. Grease a 15.5 x 10.5 x 1-inch jelly-roll pan with vegetable shortening or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Make cake:

Place chocolate in medium microwave-proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, turning back one corner to vent. Microwave on High 1 = minutes; stir and microwave 30 to 45 seconds more, until chocolate is melted and completely smooth. Keep chocolate covered so it remains warm.

Beat egg yolks, butter, almond flour (if using whole blanched almonds, process nuts with 2 tablespoons of the sugar in food processor until finely ground) and corn syrup in large mixer bowl on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in rum, if desired.

Beat egg whites in a clean mixer bowl with clean beaters on medium speed, until foamy. Beat in sugar (or remaining 10 tablespoons sugar, if using whole blanched almonds) 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase speed to medium-high and beat to stiff peaks. Gently fold whites into almond mixture with a rubber spatula, until almost combined. Gently fold in the warm chocolate, until well combined. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake 30 to 35 minutes, until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on wire rack.

 
Julia says (in The Way to Cook) you can bake the batter in muffin tins, but then they're called

Commercy Cupcakes. She also says you can use scallop shells (if you still have them from your coquilles St. Jacques days).

 
I decided to get Larousse's opinion on this. Seems that the shape of the pan is of no

significance but the 4 major ingredients are what provided the description.

Also indicated that they were thought to have been made first in aspic molds.

So now you can take your pan back.

(I enjoy having one to make cornmeal Madeleines to serve with soup)

 
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