All photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

THE DISH
Carrot spice Madeleine cookies (recipe here)

THE INSPIRATION
Karaocake is a dreamy, synth-heavy French indiepop band who one of my coworkers discovered last year on eMusic and the rest of us quickly fell in love with. For a long time I’d been wanting to collaborate on a recipe with my friend Eleanor Whitney (of the cooking blog 2 Cooks in the Kitchen and the Brooklyn band Corita), and this was a perfect fit because of her love of all things French. Karaocake got their name through a silly joke involving carrot cake, and Madeleines are a French pastry as lovely and delicate as the band’s music, so carrot cake-flavored Madeleines were a perfect fit!

I’m really proud of this one, and have to salute Eleanor for the fact that we very loosely followed a recipe but they still came out perfectly. They were a blast to make, mostly because between Eleanor, our friend Dominick (who took the amazing photos) and me, there was lots of giggling and goofing off — the best way to do anything in the kitchen. We also devoured almost the whole first batch of these tiny cookies before the second tray went in the oven…

I should also note that my amazing roommate Sneha returned from Indiana after Labor Day weekend with a KITCHEN-AID STAND MIXER. IN HER SUITCASE. It was given to her a couple years ago and she didn’t really use it, but now it is here, in Brooklyn, making my kitchen dreams come true. This was my first time using it!

THE RECIPE
Makes about 50 tiny Madeleines (or probably a couple dozen of the normal size)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted better, melted and cooled
1 1/4 sifted flour (sift before measuring)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
Zest from one orange
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 carrot, shredded
Cinnamon and powdered sugar for dipping/sprinkling on top (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush Madeleine pan with butter (we used a silicone pan and realized we probably didn’t actually need to do this).

• Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and spices in a medium bowl; add the orange zest and set aside.

• With an electric mixer, mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla until frothy (about four minutes).

• Add the dry ingredients.

• Fold in the butter, then the shredded carrot.

• Fill the Madeleine pan(s), right to the top of each shell. As always, I used a small batter scoop and it helped keep the mess to a minimum… Bake for about 8 minutes, until the edges are just brown and the Madeleines pop right out. If you’re using the standard-size pans, you’ll have to bake for longer — maybe 12 minutes (also until the edges are brown)? Serve with the cinnamon/powdered sugar mixture (optional).

Karaocake – Medication from Clapping Music on Vimeo.