Apple Cider Madeleines
We’re spending Thanksgiving week with B’s family in California. We haven’t traveled much due to COVID19 (and having babies) the past few years. This is the first trip as a family of four!
We woke up at 5am and got to the airport 2.5 hours early; the airport was so busy and security took such a long time, we just made it to the gate with 10 minutes to spare. The airport was the busiest I’d seen it in years. Other people were panicking about missed flights and we let people pass us in the line.
It was challenging carrying everything. B wore a backpack holding two carseats (looking like a Sherpa) and pushed Isabelle in the stroller with the diaper bag and milk bag. I wore Alanna in a baby carrier, and pulled two carry on luggages. People gave words of encouragement as we trudged down the airport aisle.
The girls were very good on the airplane and even got compliments from other passengers. We breathed a sigh of relief when we landed since we didn’t want to be that family with the screaming baby/toddler.
We have a busy week, meeting family and friends everyday. It’s the first time everyone will meet both Isabelle and Alanna since the last time we were in the Bay Area, I was still pregnant with Isabelle. B was very excited for his 96 year old Oma (german grandmother) to meet the girls. We took Isabelle to the Monterey Aquarium on a day trip, although she was more excited about the Ghiradelli ice cream sundae we ate afterwards lol.
With the theme of Thanksgiving, I’m sharing these apple cider madeleines. I wanted to make a fall themed dessert, but not the typical apple pie or pumpkin bread recipe.
We really missed the apple cider doughnuts from our farmer’s market by Yale in Connecticut and wanted to mke this NY Times apple cider doughnut recipe. We didn’t have a doughnut pan but baked it in a madeleine pan as suggested in one of the NY Times recipe comments.
B’s dad loves apple cider so we for maximum flavor, we reduced the apple cider until it was very thick. Although it has a more cake-like texture than the fluffy fried apple cider doughnuts, it tasted great. I made these right before we flew to California and was able to bring some to work to share.
A perfect portable dessert. Enjoy!
Apple Cider Madeleines
Ingredients
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Generous 1/2 cup of reduced apple cider (start with 1 1/2 cups)
Directions
On a stovetop, add the 1 1/2 cups apple cider to a small saucepan. Simmer until the volume is reduced to 1/2 cup and the cider is very thick. Let cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease madeleine pan with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
With an electric beater, cream 10 tablespoons butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and vanilla extract.
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the reduced apple cider and mix until combined (batter will be very thick)
Spoon the batter into madeleine pan, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake until edges are just browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature.
