Heart-shaped Red Velvet Madeleines with a lemon glaze are a perfect confection for Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s day was first associated with romantic love in Chaucer’s 14th century poetry about “Valentines.”
In 18th century England, it evolved into a day in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering sweets, and sending valentine’s cards. Today, heart-shaped outlines, doves, and the winged Cupid serve as recognized symbols of Valentine’s Day.
Susan bought me a heart-shaped madeleine pan several months ago. What better time to use it than right before Valentine’s Day. Rather than make traditional madeleines, I decided to adapt Julia’s recipe and make Red Velvet Madeleines with a lemon glaze.
Ingredients for Red Velvet Madeleines:
I used the following ingredients for the Madeleines: Eggs, sugar, flour, salt, unsweetened cocoa, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, and red food coloring. I used confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice for the lemon glaze.
Making the Red Velvet Madeleines:
I started by melting the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. I continued heating the butter to a boil over medium heat until it browned lightly. Then, I put the pan into an ice water bath until the butter was cool, but still liquid.
While the butter was cooling, I lightly whisked the eggs in a 2-cup measuring cup.
Then, I poured half of the eggs into a bowl, and added the sugar, flour, salt, and cocoa. I beat the mixture until it was well combined. It was very dry and crumbly looking at this point.
I let the crumbly mixture sit for 10 minutes. Then, I added the remaining eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and melted butter.
I beat the mixture on high for about a minute until everything was well combined. At this point, the thickness of the batter was somewhere between that of cookie dough and cake batter.
I sprayed the cups of my new heart-shaped madeleine pan with non-stick baking spray.
Then I used a 1½-inch ice cream scoop to partition out the batter. This equated to a generous tablespoon of batter. I didn’t bother trying to spread the batter because I knew from experience that it would spread nicely in the oven.
I popped the madeleines into a preheated 350° F oven for about 14 minutes until they were lightly browned around the edges, and humped in the middle. After I removed the pan from the oven, I dumped the madeleines out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
I decided to finish the Red Velvet Madeleines by dipping the bump side in a lemon glaze and putting them back into a 500° F oven for 2 to 3 minutes for the glaze to set.
I ended up with 1-1/2 dozen absolutely delicious Red Velvet Madeleines. They were not too sweet, and had a perfect consistency. They were an ideal Valentine’s surprise for the Master Taste Tester. Yum!
- 2 large eggs lightly whisked in a 2-cup measure
- 2/3 cup (4.75 ounces, 135 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (5 ounces, 142 grams) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 4 1/2 ounces (1 stick, plus 1 Tablespoon, 128 grams) unsalted butter
- Zest of 1/2 lemon about 1/2 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon red liquid food coloring
- 1 cup (4 ounces, 113 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Measure 1/4 cup of the eggs into a bowl, then beat in the sugar, flour, cocoa, and salt. When thoroughly blended, let rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, and let the butter brown lightly. Place the pan in a ice water bath until the butter is cool, but still liquid.
- Add the remaining egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, food coloring, and butter to the batter. Beat until thoroughly blended, about a minute.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Spray Madeleine pan with non-stick baking spray. Place a generous tablespoon of batter into each of the Madeleine cups. Bake at 350° F for 14 to 15 minutes, or until cakes are lightly browned around the edges, humped in the middle, and slightly shrunk from the cups. Unmold onto a wire rack to cool. Glaze with lemon glaze, dust with confectioners' sugar, of leave plain. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen Red Velvet Madeleines.
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 500° F. Line a baking sheet with foil and put a cooling rack on it.
- Put the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl that’s large enough to allow you to dip the madeleines into the glaze. Whisk in the lemon juice a little at a time until the glaze is about as thick as heavy cream.
- One by one, dip (don’t soak) the bump side of each madeleine in the glaze and put them bump side up on the cooling rack. Slide them into the oven, close the door and stay put: It takes 1 to 3 minutes for the glaze to melt and coat the madeleines, and you want to be there to pull them out of the oven at the first sign of a bubble in the glaze. Remove from the oven and transfer the madeleines to another cooling rack. Cool completely.
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