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Monday, October 22, 2012

Lemon Poppyseed Madelines

I had a wonderful spontaneous vacation last summer with my husband.  We were at a memorial service in Vermont with all of my husband's family, celebrating the life of his father on the first anniversary of his death.  We chose Vermont because that is what he wanted.  He wanted to be remembered there, and for all of my husband's sibling's offspring, Vermont is a place that all 12 of them share.  So we had a very nive, if at times somber long weekend there, and my nephew Eli spent some very picturesque time playing bagpipes on the hill.  he jst looked like he might actually be in Scotland, despite the fact that he was wearing gym shorts and a T-shirt rather than being decked out in a kilt and associated gear.  In talking to him, he noted that he would be playing with his band in the World Piping Championships in Glasgow the following month, and my spouse and I decided to join his family to see him play.
We flew into London and took the train the Scotland--on the way, we were served various and sundry things on the First Class train, including a madeline.
Delicious!  Recently my best baking buddy and I recreated these delicasies.
For two dozen:
10 Tbs. butter
2/3 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 tsp. lemon extract
Brown the butter on teh stove--which means cooking it until the whey cooks down and the bits on the bottom of the pan are at least tan, if not brown. 
In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs, salt, then add vanilla, lemon juice, poppy seeds, and lemon extract.  Add teh flour, then the brown butter.  Refridgerate batter at least 2 hours, and preferrably overnight--it thickens with time and is easier to scoop into the madeline molds.
Turn oven on to 375.
Use a #40 scoop and fills madeline pans (3/4 full)--bake for 12-16 minutes, until browing on edges.
Pop out of pans immediately, and when cool, glaze with:
2 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 tsp. lemon juice.
Sublime.  No wonder Proust went on and on about them in 'Remembrance of Things Past'.

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