PERFECT MADELEINES

Madeleine. Are they a cake or a cookie? Introduced in Paris in 1755 as a desert for royalty. A sponge like cake that looks like a cookie but tastes like a cake. Baked in a pan that resembles a scallop shell or a cat’s paw. A classic, beautiful shape. They can be baked with a variety of flavors, but I love the buttery-lemon ones the best. A perfect touch to end a meal. Fabulous with fresh fruit, sorbet or just by themselves. If you are entertaining, the batter can be made a day ahead. Bake and glaze, minutes before quest arrive, and the house smells heavenly. Certainly a lot of oooohs and ahhhhs will come your way. A warm welcome for your quests. And so simple, but yet baking a perfect Madeleine is an art form.

Lemon Madeleine Recipe-

3 Large Eggs, room temperature

2/3 Cup Sugar

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1 ¼ Cup Flour

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

8 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Additional Butter, for pans

Lemon Glaze-

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1-2(plus or minus) Tablespoon Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

1-2 Packet Lemon Crystals

All you need special is a Madeleine pan. They can be found at most kitchen supply stores. Mine is from Williams-Sonoma.

This is my nesewt Madeleine pan, with heart shaped shells. It will fun to see how they turn out!

To prep, place your Madeleine pan in the freezer (I store mine in the freezer so it it always ready) several hours in advance.

In a stand mixer, beat eggs, sugar and salt until thick and frothy.

By hand, fold flour by small amounts into the egg/sugar/salt.

Add fresh squeezed lemon juice to melted butter, fold into batter.

Cover your bowl with a cloth and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Once oven has reached baking temperature, melt several tablespoons of butter. Remove pan from freezer. Lightly brush the indentations with melted butter. The butter will start to freeze with contact on the pan. Butter, even if you are using a non- stick pan, it will give your Madeleine that golden color.

Make your lemon glaze. Melt butter, add to sugar and lemon juice and lemon crystals. Add a little lemon zest here, if you like.

Place by teaspoon, drop batter into the indentations, fill about ¾’s full. Do not spread.

Bake 8-10 minutes. You will have to judge this step. The Madeleine should be springy to touch, slightly golden on the edges. You should have a nice big “bump” in the middle. This is the trademark for a perfect Madeleine. Please do not over bake.

Once out of the oven, let cool just for a second or two, until you can flip over into the pan, ridge side up. Let cool briefly, and brush with lemon glaze.  Let cool completely.

A beautiful treat. Cake, cookie, you decide. But, fork or finger?