Madeleines are small shell-shape cakes, usually sponge cakes, originating in Commercy, France.
They are made in a tin. I bought mine a long, long time ago, from Williams-Sonoma. They can also be made in a muffin tin.
I made a batch of Dutch chocolate ones, but they were too dry and the recipe was too complicated, so I switched to making lemons ones using the recipe William-Sonoma is featuring in their current catalogue.
Lemon Madeleines
(a Williams-Sonoma recipe)
Makes 12 - 24
2 whole eggs, plus one egg yolk
1/3 cup sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 T. finely grated lemon zest
1 T. fresh lemon juice
4 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and coat the molds heavily with either butter and flour, or baking PAM, which worked really well for me.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt, and then beat on high speed until pale, thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On a lower speed, add the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla, and combine well, about 30 seconds.
Sift the cake flour and baking powder (they suggest twice), then sprinkle it over the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold until just incorporated.
Pour in the cooled melted butter along the side of the bowl and gently fold in until incorporated.
Fill the tins with 1 1/2 T. of batter.
Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
Transfer pan to a wire rack and let them cool for 2 minutes, then turn over the tin, and mine popped right out. Alternatively, you can use an offset spatula to release them. Dust with confectioner's sugar.
Next time I am going to make the more authentic version of them, from Julia Child's,
The Way to Cook.
Mine should have been puffier and browner. If I hadn't accidentally used twice the amount of butter called for then they might have looked better. But they taste great!
B
