Abbie Hoffman of Lutherville, Md., was hoping to get the recipe for the wonderful little butter cookies/cakes that are frequently served with along with cappuccino at Petit Louis Bistro in Roland Park, Md. She said they provide just the right amount of sweetness at the end of a rich meal, and was hoping to be able to make them at home.
I reached out to Travis Marley, the executive pastry chef for the Foreman Wolf Restaurant Group, which owns Petit Louis. Marley graciously shared his recipe for the special little cake-like cookies he makes for the restaurants.
The cookie is his adaptation of a traditional French madeleine, and Marley said they can be the perfect little treat at the end of a meal for people who don’t want to eat a whole dessert.
His recipe is fairly simple and can be made using a full-sized madeleine mold or in mini madeleine pans, as he does for the restaurants. The mini pans can be found at most baking supply stores and will produce the delicate little cakes that Hoffman liked so much.
Unlike a traditional madeleine recipe, Marley’s does not call for melting and browning the butter. Instead the butter is simply creamed with the powdered sugar, as it would be in most cake or cookie recipes. It’s a good idea to chill the dough for a few hours or even overnight before piping it into the molds and baking. The little cakes, crispy on the outside and with a sponge cake-like interior, are best served the same day they are baked. If by some miracle you have some left over, they will keep in an airtight container for a day or two or can be frozen.
REQUESTS
Ann Harrison of Timonium, Md., is a big fan of the rice pudding served at the Silver Spring Mining Co. in Perry Hall and Cockeysville, Md. She said it is particularly sweet and creamy, and she is hoping the restaurant will share the recipe.
Susan Macht of Baltimore is in search of the recipe for the pistachio cream-filled, chocolate-covered macaroons that were sold many years ago at the Mandell Ballow restaurant in the Hilltop Shopping Center.
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PETIT LOUIS BISTRO’S MINI MADELEINE
Makes about 60 mini madeleines or 18-24 large madeleines
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted soft butter (plus more for greasing pans)
1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Begin by creaming the butter and sugar together in a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the butter has become pure white and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Add the eggs, vanilla and lemon zest to the butter and sugar mixture, being sure to scrape down the butter from the sides of the bowl and incorporate completely. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. If time allows, chill dough for several hours or overnight before baking.
Pipe the batter into well buttered Madeline pan and bake for 8 to 12 minutes until the center is puffed and edges are golden brown.
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