Monday, August 23, 2021

Strawbridge and Clothier Chocolate Madeleines


Now that my latest novel is finished and I'm back to working on the next one, another cozy mystery, I'm thinking about my next nonfiction project, the sequel to Dainty Dining. So over the weekend, I tried another recipe associated with a grand old department store, this one the Chocolate Madeleines from the food hall at Strawbridge and Clothier in Philadelphia. These madeleines were easy to make and came out great, so I thought I'd go ahead and share the recipe here. I love to serve madeleines at teatime, but I've always made the traditional lemon-flavored ones. These chocolate ones were perfectly light and cake-like, sweetened with the tiniest sprinkling of powdered sugar, and I'll bet some of you would like them too!


The recipe comes from the book Food Hall Strawbridge and Clothier: Just Desserts, which appears to have been self-published by the store in 1984.


My teacup, by the way, is a Limoges, France teacup and saucer marked Strawbridge and Clothier that I found online when I started researching these old stores more than a decade ago. I don't know whether it was ever used in the store or simply sold in the store, but I thought it was appropriate for using with my tea (Venetian Tiramisu from Harney) and these madeleines!


Chocolate Madeleines

2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick + 2 tablespoons melted butter, divided use
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs well, then add sugar and beat again. Add cocoa, baking powder, vanilla, and the 1 stick of melted butter and beat for one minute. Sift flour directly over the egg mixture and beat by hand for one minute, just till combined. Spoon by heaping tablespoons into cavities of madeleine pan greased with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter.* Bake for 10-12 minutes, until madeleines are slightly cracked or dry. Remove from pans and cool on racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. Yields 18 madeleines.

Note: I used a Wilton madeleine pan that makes madeleines about 3 inches tall and 2 inches wide.




5 comments:

  1. Yummy...tx Angela. Have to try it...but first need a pretty Madeline pan!

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  2. Those look beautiful and delicious! And the teacup and saucer are perfect.

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  3. I like to make madeleines, too, and usually make orange-flavored ones (the recipe came with the pan). I've never had chocolate madeleines, so I'll have to try your recipe!
    Your teacup and saucer are very pretty.

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  4. Yum. I’m going to give this a try.

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  5. I love, love that you found a teacup from that department store and then added their recipe for madeleines.

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