I love madeleines... but just can't convince myself to buy the tins. I dont' actually have a good reason for this, just a mental block or something on buying a gadget that's good for only one item. Still, though, you guys are pretty convincing. I have no idea about the refrigerate/leave out thing. Nigella does that on one of the breads in there, too, so I thought it might be a yeast thing, but that wouldn't apply here, so now I have no idea. Oh well. Wouldn't be the first time...
I keep looking at this recipe in my well thumbed book, but also have been baulking at the idea of buying a special tin. I think you've just talked me into it!
Count me in on the resistance to buy the special tin. I first had madeleines in--are you ready?--Bayeux, France. Proust, anyone? And pretty much nothing else is going to compare when it comes to madeleines, I'm pretty sure. I think that's another reason I've resisted buying the pan. What's the point? Mine will never be that good. Any I've tried in the US haven't been that good. I'm left with only the memory (ha, I crack myself up).
Maybe some sort of reaction has to occur that takes an hour of coldness, or at least a sustained bit of coldness, but if you try to cook the batter when it's cold it won't work. I have many cake recipes that say to have all ingredients at room temp for a half hour before mixing--I'm guessing there's something about putting very cold things in a hot oven that isn't a good idea.
you have to refrigerate it so that the butter in the mixture can firm up again, leaving it out of the fridge for another half an hour brings the mixture back to room temp.
without it you'll be left with flat hard rose water scented bricks.
not having the mixture at room temp and then putting it straight in the oven creates a too big of a shock in temp difference, resulting in a burned outside and undercooked inside.
These look gorgeous. I have a madeleine tin, though I think buying a mini-size one would be too excessive for all the use I'd get out of it...the madeleines from How To Eat are lovely too, with a wonderful honeyed flavour. They are a bit fiddly to make though - all that sitting round, and then you have to watch the oven like a hawk so they don't burn...
I cannodt beleive i found you today... my husband loves nigella and her show but i dont think it is because of the food, but i do enjoy watching her also, so we share this, he and I 
and i am inspired to try the madelines
Oh, fabulous idea ladies! My best friend and I adore Nigella and worked our way through about 1/2 of Domestic Goddess a couple of years ago (didn't think about blogging it though, damn). Looking forward to reading your archives and seeing how your experiences compared with ours!
Am definitely going to give these a whirl; they never jumped out of the book at me but reading about them here they sound heavenly.
Hi, I found this post by chance and I must say I do love those madeleines too! I've made those ones a few times before and they were just perfect to enjoy with a cuppa coffee or some aromatic rose pouchon tea.
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