Candied Orange and Maple Madeleines

Makes 36 madeleines

Ingredients

1 cup [250 ml] unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp [5 ml] baking powder
Pinch salt
1 tsp [5 ml] ground ginger
Pinch ground nutmeg
6 eggs, room temperature
1 cup [250 ml] maple sugar (granulated type)
1 cup [250 ml] unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the madeleine pan
½ cup [125 ml] candied orange zest, finely chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F [190°C]. Butter the madeleine molds generously and reserve.

In a large bowl, sift the first 6 ingredients together. Reserve.

Break the eggs in a medium bowl and add the maple sugar. Using an electric beater, beat the eggs and maple sugar together for 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and thick. Add the melted butter and beat lightly before adding the reserved dry ingredients a third at a time, beating just until incorporated. Using a spatula, mix in the candied orange zest.

Spoon the batter into the molds, filling each mold 3/4 full. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until risen and golden. Unmold as soon as you take the madeleines out of the oven and let cool on a rack.

Madeleines will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 weeks. They also freeze very well.

Note: If you have just one 12-mold pan, you can bake the madeleines in batches, keeping the remaining batter in a covered container at room temperature until you’ve used it all up. As soon as you unmold the baked madeleines, cool the pan under cold running water, wash it, butter it again and fill it with batter to bake another batch.

Recipe Credit: La fédération des producteurs acéricoles du Québec