I am a huge FAN of Madeleines. A small cake/cookie made with a genoise batter, it is like a small portion of cake but a bit drier. They actually have a bit of history to them, and of course, were immortalized in a passage in a book by Marcel Proust. Fresh out of the oven they are SUPERB, and as the day wears on, they dry out a bit more and are perfect with a cup of hot tea. My sister in New York lives around the corner from Francois Payard’s Pastry Shop, and they have yummy Madeleines there. But nothing seems to beat freshly baked Madeleines from any number of patisseries in Paris or smaller towns in France for that matter. I am not sure what makes them so attractive, but they are definitely a personal favorite of mine. Perhaps it is the small size, the taste of something good but not excessive (mind you, I can eat 8 of them in one sitting!)… They seem simple enough to make, and I have two pans (used ONLY for this darned cake/cookie), but they aren’t so easy to get right. So imagine my surprise when one of Marketmanila’s readers, Artisan Chocolatier, left a comment on my recent post on “What food products do you sell?” and he mentioned Madeleines…in Cebu!!! Of course I had to check these out, and ordered a selection that was hand-carried to Manila along with the silvanas I featured a few days ago.
The Madelienes from Sweet Melissa were delicious, considering they had been made the day before or possibly earlier for one batch of the treats. They were packed in small sealed plastic bags so they retained more moisture than one might expect. We loved the vanilla and lemon ones and the ones dipped in chocolate were sinful. The chocolate madeleines were good but could have been even more chocolatey…but that is nitpicking. Overall, I was impressed and I am sure I would be in seventh heaven if I could time it so that I picked up my order as they were emerging from the ovens! Cebu has come a long way and food choices there are much, much better than they were a decade ago, thanks to folks like these… If you have a hankering for Madeleines, be sure to give these a try if you are in Cebu, and try to get them freshly baked:
Sweet Melissa
Madeleines
3 for PHP50 for Vanilla, Lemon and Chocolate
3 for PHP60 for those dipped in chocolate
Call 0928-9843609
They also have a line of artisanal breads under the Pan di Mio brand that sound delicious, but I haven’t had a chance to try them yet.
Below is a photo of the Madeleines that I made at home a few months ago. They were a bit overcooked (or maybe I just coated the pan with too much melted butter, or the oven temperature was too high, or the shelf was too low…) but they did taste pretty darn good. You can see the characteristic shell shape of the cake. I really should attempt to make them again…particularly for the holidays…but then again, I can just order them instead! I wonder if the original ones were baked in real shells… Oh, and many thanks to artisan chocolatier who threw in a few extra samples into my order. I tried hard to mask who was ordering (used an office colleague’s name and all) but perhaps he figured it out or maybe he was just being nice…salamat!
29 Responses
looks so yummy!!! thanks for sharing Mr. MM…
hello there MM, i’m just wondrin isnt it possible that “Kababayan” are our version of french madeleines…just like you my husband’s grandmom loves “madeleine” and she has a killer recipe for it..really really good…i’m sure she’s willing to share :-)
dhanggit, kababayans are similar but not quite the same, they seem softer and more liquidy. Of course, the shape differs as well… yes, a good recipe would be appreciated!
A friend makes very good madeleines which she sprinkles with powdered sugar. It’s buttery(maybe she used good butter) and that’s how I came to love the cookie….together with her recipe she even gave me her madeleine mold pan (the ‘real shells’)…it’s been quite sometime since the first time I made them, and the ones with dipped chocolate would be a good variation.
MM, Daghang Salamat!!!!
Elaine, yes a sprinkling of powdered sugar is traditionally how it is served. But always best served warm (a few minutes in the oven at 350F or toaster oven will do).
Madeleines go with almost anything..coffee, tea, hot/cold chocolate, milk, sherry, champagne, ice cream, sorbet, gelato, fruit jams (hmmm MM, I think it will be great with your guava and mangosteen jams!!!).
You can also substitue the madeleines in you favorite recipe for tiramisu and trifle. And also an addition to what you can dip in your chocolate fondue or fountain.
They look really good! I tried to make them once and it was a disaster. Utterly. And I had to borrow the pan too. Is there ANY way on earth that one can make them without using the shell pans? Like placing a thin layer on (mini) muffin tins? But I promise, if dhanggit posts the recipe of her hubby’s lola, I will get the real one. =)
@ artisan chocolatier
if I may ask, where is your store located? or where can we get your madeleines here in Cebu?
thanks!
MM, in case you haven’t seen it, these are what David Lebovitz says are the best madeleines in Paris:
https://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2007/05/the_best_madele.html
I’m not a big fan of madeleines myself; I find them boring and dry. Then again, maybe I just haven’t had any good ones. Because the ones in this picture — golden-brown with a sugary crust — look just perfect!
brenda, I can deliver (minimum order of 6 assorted packs) within the lahug and banilad area. I will also try to make the Caltex Station (across Asilo) a pick-up point.
I currently deliver to Don Merto’s at Banilad Town Center every Monday afternoon (around 3p.m.) and am at the closing stages (paper work and red tape) to supply several coffee and gourmet shops in and around Cebu. We should have them all in place by end of the month.
Am open to anyone interested in Manila to carry them as well.
I currently have the capacity to produce 600 packs (1,800 pieces) a day. I have an 18 plate oven in my kitchen, as well as a 20-quart mixer.
I will also have a booth (booth no. 8) at the Cebu International School 2007 Christmas Bazaar at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug on December 1 and 2.
I will have Sweet Melissa and Pan Di Mio products on hand. And if weather permits, I may have some of my Chocolat Bon Vivant super premium chocolates available too. Afterall, Chocolate is my passion!!!
I love dunking them in spicy hot cocoa especially during the cold months and they are good to go. Artisan Chocolatier you have a high tech baking kitchen making your production a breeze. Keep up the good job – purveyor of gourmet baked goods and premium chocolates. May you thrive well and more to you and Market Manila.
Katrina, I LOVE the citrus glaze idea in the link you placed. Maybe I can make Madeleines with a Dayap or kalamansi glaze…the color of my madeleines certainly comes close to the Leibovitz ones… heehee. More experimentation… Artisan Chocolatier…thanks for bringing Madeleines to Cebu!
MM, yes, the color of your madeleines are definitely more european than american. I had to adjust my color to something in between (only up to the browning of the edges) for acceptability in the local market.
Europeans like the darker color (caramelization of the natural sugar), while the americans like less of it. I’ve noticed this observation as well among the locals when it comes to my artisan breads.
Glazing is actually one of our secrets to keeping it moist a bit longer. Glaze while the madeleines are still warm.
Thanks for your observation on the chocolate variety. I will try another brand and technique to improve it further.
i love madeleines and can eat more than 8 in one sitting…unfortunately, i can only get them from starbucks where i live…they taste very commercial but will do when i have a craving…maybe i should start baking my own
Artisan Chocolatier, thanks for the wonderful tip on Madeleines! With MM raving about your madeleines, hopefully you can expand to Manila.
the only madeleines i’ve tasted are the ones that i get from delifrance along UN avenue..i like them but sometimes their stocks are not freshly baked so they’ve dried out already..artisan chocolatier, where can i get your delicious-looking madeleines here in manila?..do i have to order them from cebu and maybe have my sister (who works at the airport) pick them up at the airport?
Elaine, Thank you for the compliments. I will find a way to get it on the counters of some shops in Manila soon. My main concern is the short shelf life in as much as I do not use any mold inhibitors or preservatives (Thats what commercial bakers/institutions are known for). Using these chemicals defeats my purpose of bringing natural artisan products to the table.
Bedazzle, I can ship via LBC (door-to-door) the madeleines. LBC charges PHP150.00 for every dozen for next day delivery.
For Cebu customers, I will be delivering a fresh batch to Don Merto’s at Banilad Town Center by 3 this afternoon.
MM, SALAMAT GYUD BAY!!!! My phone has been ringing off the hook this morning.
MM,
Good find! I always try to make the madeleines my sister sends from switzerland last a very very very long time. Put them in the freezer and take out a few at a time hahaha
I called Artisan last night and put in an order. Wonders of wonders, he turns out to be the dad of my nephew’s best friend. Small world!
Artisan, no wonder i never caught the madeleines at Merto’s. I usually go there for lunch and pretty late for dinner-around 9 pm or so. So either, they are not yet there or already sold out!
MM,
try the dentelle au chocolat at merto’s as well. they are really good too :-)
they are one of the reasons why i go to merto’s, aside from that really fantastic hearty burger they have (which is not greasy of mayonaissy at all) and the superb steaks.
ging, I have had the dentelles several times, they are good. They were a popular gift in Manila last Christmas…
hi there artisan chocolateir :
congratulations on the numerous feedbacks on your madeleines. i will definitely refer you to all my friends in the visayas area !
cheers,
nelson
where’s merto’s? :) i was inspired to grab a pack of madeleines in delifrance because of your write-up marketman! Malaki ba difference nung sa Delifrance from the one’s from Cebu? :-S
Ging n MM, what are dentelles? Am curious. BTW, am getting my coffee mangosteen cake on Sunday! Yay! Next try, madeleines (those of french baker are diamond-shaped and taste just like butter cakes. are they anywhere near authentic? shape notwithstanding, of course.)
very flat discs of cookie or caramel with chocolate…they look lacey. Hmmm, interesting that I can’t describe them well… ness, the delifrance ones are great…I think the ones in cebu are more moist and have more flavor…
hehe very thin lace cookies sandwiched with belgian chocolate (semi sweet, dark, white or mint). so thin, they are as thin as your regular cd.
the appearance is so like lace that the chocolate often peeks through the tiny holes in the cookie layers themselves.
i hope thats a better description :-)if not, maybe we have to put in a picture! hahaha
i love madeleines!! my most favorite madeleine recipe is the one from pierre herme’s chocolate desserts book. i also found a great green tea madeleine recipe from a food blog a couple of months back. it was such a hit!
im glad to know that there are more people now selling madeleines. yay!!!
Ordered it, they delivered it, tried it, loved it!
I’m crazy about MADELEINES!! Danggit, can I have your husband’s grandmom’s recipe? Please email the recipe at ianne46@hotmail.com. Thanks! I just came back from Cebu, but I didn’t know that they sell madeleines there. Here in Canada, I buy them at the grocery stores. They’re truly yummy!
i think i’ve tried these before. they look familiar.