Off The Menu

Chef Laetitia Chrapchynski’s Madeleines

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY LINDA GARSON

This year, we celebrated Canada

Food Day with a segment on Global TV, and featured dishes from from local restaurants’ Alberta On The Plate menus that showcase local farmers.

One of the dishes was from Laetitia Chrapchynski, chef at Donna Mac, who included both Highwood Crossing’s organic wholewheat flour and their rolled oats in her Alberta on the Plate dessert, inspired by the Bouchon cookbook as well as by Montreal pastry chef, Patrice Demers’ book.

These delicious madeleines with carrot caramel gripped the imagination of many local food lovers, and we’re very grateful to Donna Mac and Chef Chrapchynski for sharing the recipe.

Chef Laetitia Chrapchynski’s Madeleines with Carrot Caramel and Carrot Pulp Granola:

Makes 12

230 g white sugar 90 g wholewheat flour, sifted 120 g almond flour, sifted ½ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp salt 200g deeply browned butter, melted 200g egg whites Ice cream to serve, optional

1. Mix together the first five ingredients, and add the melted butter and egg whites. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight. 2. Scoop out into heavily greased madeleine pans. Alternatively, you can use muffin tins or financier molds. Do not use silicon, as it is difficult to achieve crispy edges. 3. Bake at 350º F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let rest for 1 minute and unmold immediately. 4. Place 2 or 3 madeleines on a plate and drizzle with the carrot caramel. Use carrot pulp granola as a base to hold a scoop of ice cream in place.

Carrot Caramel

4 cups (1 L) carrot juice 200 g sugar 20 g aged white balsamic vinegar Place all ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the caramel reduce for 25-35 minutes.

Carrot Pulp Granola

140 g wholewheat flour 80 g old fashioned rolled oats 100 g brown sugar ½ tsp salt 115 g butter, cubed 100 g carrot pulp from juicing or grated

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Bake at 375º F until crispy and golden brown, about 15 minutes.