The title is a mouthful, and so are these mini-muffins! I used the base of a Madeleine batter to create these bitesize treats for Easter. The madeleine batter imparts a much richer, buttery flavor than a traditional muffin mix. I had a ton of Meyer lemons in my garden, and so I used the zest to brighten up both the batter and the icing.
The girls are on spring break, so I had lots of little hands helping out. Everyone wanted to be in charge of sprinkles, but I was able to get them to do the measuring, pouring and spreading as well. If you have children home on break and don't know what to do with them, cook! You'll get to spend time with them, they'll have fun, and they will learn skills that will be valuable to them for their whole lives.
Can you see the pink bunnies?
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, + 5 Tbs (total 300 g) + extra for greasing the pan
1 pinch salt
1 cup superfine sugar
1 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs raw honey
5 eggs
9 g baking powder, (about less than 2 tsp)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
4 tsp Meyer lemon zest
1 cup fruity tea, hot
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup vanilla chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 Tbs butter, soft at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pinch salt
3 Tbs Easter bunny sprinkle toppings
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 410°F.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with 1/3 of a cup of the superfine sugar for about 6-7 minutes. You'll get a pale yellow foam and the texture of the egg yolk will be thicker. Add the brown sugar, raw honey, vanilla, lemon and orange extracts.
In a bowl, combine the flour (2 cups + 1 Tbs), salt and baking powder. Sift all the dry ingredients.
In a bowl, soak the dried cherries in a hot cup of tea for about 30 minutes. Drain all the liquid. Set the cherries aside.
Cream the butter (2 sticks + 5 Tbs) with the remaining 2/3 of a cup of superfine sugar (whisk using a standmixer to get as much air as possible in the butter). Add the egg mixture and the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add the dried cherries.
Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of madeleine dough into two 12-hole mini muffin pan. Plastic wrap the tray and place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Remove the platic wrap, then bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 410°F, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 5-6 minutes.
Remove from the oven, Let it cool down completely.
While the mini-muffins cool down completely, melt the vanilla chips (30 seconds in the microwave) and put it in a mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar, the butter, the remaining (1 tsp) lemon extract, 1 teaspoon of Meyer lemon zest and the salt to the bowl. Use a single whisk electrical blender, you'll get a more even texture. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes until the texture is smooth and creamy.
Frost each mini madeleine muffin with the Meyer lemon icing then top with the bunny sprinkles.
Serve with a nice hot tea.
Happy Easter!
Tips
Sifting dry ingredients helps getting rid of nasty lumps of flour and aerate the mixture when liquid is added. It's very important for all your baking so you get a moist result.
To guarantee quality baked goods, use the best butter you can find.
The secret to a nice bump on the madeleine muffind is to put the tray in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
The addition of dried cherries is optional but I think the addition of a sweet-tart flavor is pleasant.
You can also freeze the tray for at least one hour, then transfer the muffin dough balls into bags that I vacuum-seal and place back in the freezer. I think it's the best way to keep the same flavor without getting freezer burn. I keep them exactly the same way I would do with my extra pesto. You can store them up to 3 months in the freezer for last minute surprise guests.
Pick a subtle flavored raw honey. I think baked goods get airier and flufflier with honey.
I prefer Guittard vanilla chips but if you can't find any, you can substitute with white chocolate chips.
Grate the Meyer lemon zest with a fine mesh microplane. Gather about 2 tablespoons.
You can bake the mini madeleine muffins in a bigger cake pan but I find it more appealing as bite size treats for a tea party. I used a nonstick 12-hole mini muffin pan that I use for my gluten free almond bites with butterscotch frosting as well.
When icing each petit fours make sure the cakes are cooled completely otherwise the frosting will melt.
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About Jackie
Hi! My name is Jacqueline Pham and I am a self-taught home cook based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am French-Vietnamese, born and raised in Paris, France. I live with my husband Lulu and his family.
My hubby's family is from India, so our home is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines with all the rewards and challenges that you can imagine. There are vegetarians, meat-lovers and allergies of every kind. This site is a way for me to share my love of food and interact with all you Femme Fatales out there putting food on the table for your loved ones everyday.
