Almond Madeleine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter.
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 cup finely ground blanched almonds.
2/3 cup sugar
1/8-teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of almond slices

If you do not have a Madeleine pan, bake these cakes in a mini-muffin pan. Position the oven racks to divide the oven in thirds and preheat it at 400 F. Brush pans of two nonstick Madeleine baking tins with melted butter, sprinkle few almond slices per mould and set aside. Melt the butter without allowing it to become hot, pour the melted butter into a 1-quart bowl; reserve. Put the sifted flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the finely ground almonds and the salt into a sifter or sieve, sift onto a piece of waxed paper and set aside.

Combine the eggs, yolks and 1 tablespoon of the sugar into the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, add the remaining sugar and whip the mixture on medium speed until it is airy, pale and at least tripled in volume, 5 to 7 min. The egg mixture is properly whipped when you lift the whisk and the mixture falls back into the bowl in a ribbon that rests on the surface for about 10 seconds. Add the vanilla extract during the last moment of whipping.

When the egg mixture is done, sprinkle about one third of the flour mixture over the batter and fold with a rubber spatula, stopping as soon as the flour is incorporated. Fold in the rest of the flour in 3 additions.

Gently spoon about 1 cup of the batter into the bowl with the melted butter and fold the butter in with the rubber spatula. Fold this mixture into the batter in the mixer bowl. Spoon the mixture into the moulds but not fill more than two-thirds full. Using a small spatula, level the batter in each mold. Place in the oven and bake until the cookies are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and immediately invert pans over a wire rack so the cookies are pattern side up; let cool slightly. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Introduction
Planning and Executing the Champagne Tasting
The Appetizers and Desserts
The Results of the Tasting
Images of the Bottles
The Madeline Recipe

Tasting of the Gruets, Sparkling Shiraz and Taittinger

The Basics of Champagne
Methode Champenoise - How Champagne is Made