Les Madeleines

Today, it's my girl's birthday.
She's 10 years old.
She's born in 2002, september 12th. A thursday.
In france, there's a conventional wisdom to believe that friday the 13th is a bad luck day.
In my family, we're not superstitious.

When my "gnomette" is born, my father told me :
"Sweet baby girl, she'll have a nice nature. Between the first anniversary of september 11th and friday the thirteenth, she didn't have a lot of choice to born in a good day."

She a very very nice nature.
She's always laughing, and talking ... Oh my God, how much she speaks !!!! I have the impression that she's born speaking !!
She's easy to educate, she's sweet with others, she's always taking care of people, she's got a great sense of humour and she makes me laugh a lot.

On the other hand, she's a terrific untidy person !!!
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE TO HAVE A BEDROOM AS UNTIDY AS HER BEDROOM !!
I use to think that their bedroom is their kingdom. I don't want to ask them to clean or to tidy their room all the time.
But sometimes, SOMETIMES, before some strange and rare insects decide to live with her, I tell her :
"... We-have-to-do-something-with-your-bedroom !!..."

I say "we", because when I say "YOU", I don't know why, she suddenly becomes deaf !
And I'm not a perfect mother ... I have tried to, I promise. But some battles have to be lost if you want to win the war.
So I tidy up with her ...

She wins the war.

She's blond and curly haired, while I'm very brown and straight hair.

She's almost as tall as me and his brother (ok ... we're not giant, it's easy for her !).

She's wearing my shoes ! 

She loves pets, of course, even caterpillars that she wants to raise at home !

She's got one "true best friend" and some others who change several times during the year ...

She cares to be well dressed but doesn't care about fashion or names tabs.

She wants to be right all the time and she thinks she's got the right to tell what she wants to tell when she wants to do it.

She wants to have the "last word" when she fights with her brother. So do he ... 

Yes, feel sorry for us ...

And at the moment, I'm still her confident and I love that.

Joyeux anniversaire, mon amour.

The tradition in my home for their birthday, is to ask them which cake they want. 

She wants a chocolate cake.

I've already post the recipe ....

So I'm going to post another one ! 

This was the first time I've cooked madeleines. They're good but the next time I won't use lemon but extract of almond.

I think it will be better.

Light your oven now, it's very important. It must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6).

For 15 madeleines, you'll need : 

• 3 medium eggs or 2 bigs, at ambient temperature (they have to be out the fridge).
• 100 grammes of unsalted butter soft (if it's not soft enough, you can put in some seconds in the microwave)
• 100 grammes of white sugar
• 160 grammes of regular flour
• 2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 2 piches of salt
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon of almond extract. I used lemon zest. 
• And of course, a madeleines pan.

Step 1 : 

Whisk entire eggs together.

Before ...

After ... Aaaah, they're not aloof anymore !

Step 2 :

Better with a food processor, but you can do it with hands if your arms are strong !! Mine are like jelly, so I use a processor ... 

We have to accept our weakness.

Whip soft butter, salt and sugar until the mixture become clear.

Step 3 : 

Add the perfume you want. Here I used lemon. It's good but it's not the usual perfume for madeleines. 

Better use a teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond extract (which is the real perfume of madeleines).

Step 4 : 

Pour the beaten eggs in TWO TIMES, whisking : 

First time .... Whisk.

And second time, whisk again : 

Step 5 : 

Mix flour and baking powder.

Step 6 :

The hard part of the recipe ....

Include the sieved flour/baking powder in the mixture.

I'm not a meticulous person. I love to cook but things have to go fast and easy.

If here, I say you have to sieve your flour is because it's important for the result. 

Believe me.

I promise.

I swear.

I won't do it again.

Step 7 :

Whip all that !! Let's go !!

Step 8 : 

And VERY IMPORTANT STEP : 

Put the mixture in the fridge for ONE HOUR. 

I know it's a long time. 

But thanks to this time, when you'll put your madeleines in the very hot oven, it will create a thermic shock.

Thanks to this shock, the famous bump of madeleines will appear !!

Well ... Normally ... Because mine were not really bumpy ... Just a small plumpness ... Just like if madeleine have said : 

"Okay, you want us to be bumpy ??... sight ... Right, girls, let make her a small plumpness, she'll be happy, it's the first time she makes madeleines."

Step 9:

During this time, your oven still heat.

Now, you've got 2 possibilities : melt some butter or use neutral oil and with a little brush, butter or oil your madeleines pan.

Step 10 :

Put a small tablespoon in each imprint. 

LOW THE TEMPERATURE of the oven, before put it in it.

It must be at 150°C (300°F / Th5).

And after 15 or 18 minutes (18 minutes for me) : 

You can keep them for several days in a metallic box.