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Since school has started, life has been hectic. I knew that this was going to happen, I just haven't fallen into the right groove yet. School, extracurricular activities for all three kids, and a family wide chest cold has made for some busy days and sleepless nights.
With all of this craziness, we all seem to be riled up at night yet exhausted at the same time. In an effort to get my kids (and myself) ready for bed at a decent hour, we have been enjoying a warm Chamomile and Honey Tea Latte every evening. The warm milk combined with the chamomile makes us sleepy almost immediately. It has been a fun new family ritual to sit around the table after dinner and sip on a cup of tea and talk about what's going on in our life.
This is the first year that my youngest is in preschool and I find that after dropping him off the best way to relax is with a delicious cup of Bigelow Orange and Spice Herbal Tea and a cheesy magazine. I absolutely love the fall flavors in this tea and knew that I had to bake something with it.
These orange spiced tea infused madeleines are dense and buttery and the perfect pair for a hot cup of tea. Like most French pastries, the dough needs to be delicately handled, but they are not difficult to make. Making sure that all of your ingredients are room temperature and carefully folding in the flour and tea infused melted butter, the results are perfect! I cannot wait to explore more flavor combinations to enjoy with my tea!
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 Bigelow Orange Spice tea bags
- 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 4 eggs
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour madeline pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
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In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter.
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Place tea bags in 2 tablespoons boiling water and seep for 5 minutes then pour into melted butter.
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Meanwhile, beat eggs and sugar for 5 minutes on medium high speed.
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Once batter is pale and have doubled in volume, gently fold in orange zest.
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In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
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Add sifted flour in three parts, gently folding flour into egg batter after each addition.
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Slowly pour butter into batter while folding it in.
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Spoon about 1 and ½ tablespoons of batter into each shell.
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Bake Madelines for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Cool completely then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Make sure to try one of the many flavors of Bigelow Tea found at Walmart!
Lori
So what do you do with the tea in the Orange Spice Madelines? You mention steeping the tea. Then something about straining the loose tea, but you never mention if you are adding the 2 TBSP of tea or the tea leaves.
Katie Stephens
I read to use two tea bags, steep for 5 minutes and pour into melted butter. Can't wait to try this recipe!
Carrie
You throw away the tea bags after you have soaked them in the boiling water for 2 minutes. You then pour the orange flavored water into the melted butter. (Be sure to squeeze the tea bags to get all of the water out of them before adding the water to the melted butter.)
Jean W
What if I do not have Madeline shells?
theseasidebaker
You can use a well buttered muffin pan and fill up 1/2 way. Although they won't be as pretty, but will taste just as good 🙂
Marigold Marsh
Where can I buy Madeline shells?
Cess
I am not very particular. Since they don't get used often enough I buy especialty pans from thrift shops - Goodwill, Salvation army, etc. I've seen these shells for no more than $5.00. If you want brand new, TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Ross, for less than $10.00. I got mine at Ross, cast iron, for $7.00.
Good luck!
theseasidebaker
I actually picked mine up at a garage sale!
theseasidebaker
You can purchase them at any cooking store and sometimes Target and Walmart even have them.
Carrie
Bed, Bath and Beyond has them on line for $16.99, and/or possibly in a store near you. Check your BBB store for availability.
theseasidebaker
Thanks so much for responding to the comment! I was away from my computer for 5 days and couldn't get to them.
Madeleine Jarvis
You need to spell the name of these cookies correctly. Since my name and the cookies are the same, I've known about them for many years. The correct spelling is MADELEINES. I verified this with "The Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery", Volume 7, page 1102.
theseasidebaker
Thank you Madeleine Jarvis, it has been corrected. My sister's name is also Madeline (obviously spelled differently) so I didn't even think to check. What's even more silly is that we actually speak French in our household so you would think that I could spell the French recipe correctly! 🙂
K Jones
Bravo, Madeleine Jarvis! The article drew me in because the recipe had the wrong name in it! Steeping 2 full-sized tea bags in only 2 T. of water would actually soak up all the water into the tea bags. I suppose you must then squeeze it to release the "tea"...but I've always known that squeezing a tea bag releases the bitter tannins, so I never do this when I'm making a cup or pot of tea. Perhaps in this lighter-colored tea the tannins are milder. I usually drink black or oolong tea. Thank you for this excellent recipe!
theseasidebaker
You can also open the bags and use a tea strainer and actually seep the tea directly into the melted butter too. I think this would be delicious with a spiced black tea also!
ANN
I know that it may defeat the purpose of the name of the cookie but is it a must to use the Shell pans? Is there something that I can use in it's place?
Nancy Lee Kolb
I have the Orange spice tea, but I also have the Sweet Orange Organic tea. For those of you who do not like the spice end of the tea, you may want to try this. I love this because it is like drinking a warm cup of orange goodness. When I squeeze my tea out of a tean bag I do it between 2 spoons as you get the tea and not the bitter tanins. Squeezing between your fingers is too harsh I feel.
theseasidebaker
Mmmmm sweet orange tea sounds good! I bet it is delicious iced!
Mindy
Thank you for the excellent recipe, Seaside Baker - and especially for taking the time to share it when you are going through such a busy time. I can't wait to try the recipe myself, and may do so today - along with a nice cup of tea as I sit and ponder the mystery of why there always seems to be someone who feels compelled to correct someone else, especially about things that are of little to no consequence in the overall scheme of things. What is important is that you took your precious time to share a part of yourself and your life with us, expecting nothing in return but the possibility of others benefiting from your kindness. You have a wonderful day, and enjoy each and every moment with your beautiful children. And always - always - try to surround yourself with people who encourage you and build you up. Those are the people who really matter. And Ann - absolutely you can use any baking pan to make the cookies. They may not look like shells, but they will taste just as delicious. Just drop them from the tablespoon and try not to make them too thick. And since it appears the spiced tea is acting merely as a flavoring for the tea - don't be concerned that you are only getting a small bit when you squeeze the bag. The flavor should be intense and lovely! Good luck to all who, like me, appreciate this recipe and plan to try it soon to share with the people we love.
theseasidebaker
Thank you Mindy! I really appreciate this comment! Hope you have a wonderful day too!
Helen
Well said Mindy
Carrie
I agree with Helen. Very well said, Mindy!
theseasidebaker
Thanks guys!
Diane L Lange
Do you need to use a cookie mold for this or can you just drop the dough on a cookie sheet (like a choc chip cookie)?
theseasidebaker
Since they are more of a runny dough (compared to a cookie batter) I would not suggest putting them on a cookie sheet. I have seen people putting them in a well buttered muffin pan though.
Deena O'Daniel
This looks wonderful and will make a nice addition to my Christmas cookie array.
theseasidebaker
Thank you! Yes, they would make a great addition to a Christmas cookie platter! You could even dip them in some white chocolate!