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Make the saffron brown butter: Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter with the saffron in a heavy pan over medium heat. After it melts, continue to cook the butter, watching carefully. It will foam and subside, then separate into golden butterfat and cloudy whit milk solids. The milk solids will begin to brown. When they are lightly browned and the butter smells nutty and toasted, remove it from the heat and set it aside for 5 minutes to infuse. Strain through a fine strainer to remove the saffron threads and toasted milk solids.
Whip the eggs and sugars in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until light and fluffy. Mixing at low speed, add the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla extract, honey, and the saffron butter and mix to combine well. (The recipe can be made up to this point and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
When ready to bake, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Double-butter the baking pans: Use a pastry brush to thickly coat the pans with melted butter, then chill them in the freezer until firm. Repeat to make a thick coat of cold butter.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pipe or spoon the batter into the madeleine molds, filling them no more than three-quarters full. (The recipe can be made up to this point early in the day, then refrigerated until ready to bake. Add 1 minute to the baking time.)
Bake until the madeleines are firm, 5 to 8 minutes for large madeleines and 5 minutes for miniatures. Immediately turn or knock them out of the pans and serve, or let them cool to room temperature, store them in an airtight container, and serve them later the same day.
Makes about 50 small, 25 large. |
