Lemon Madeleines

Summer is in full swing, and I have been happily cooking away for the past few weeks.

I know haven't seen much from me and I apologize, I was so swept up in my excitement that I haven't taken the time to share. Don't fear however, because I'm back and boy do I have oodles of delicious offerings for you.

I had the itch to bake the other day and was wondering what to make...

Surprisingly I wasn't in the mood to bake bread so I  flipped on the Cooking Channel in hopes of inspiration.

I saw a French woman grating lemon zest into a butter-laden sponge cake batter and my mind was made up-

Let's make Madeleines!

I think it's about time I've done it- after all, this pastry and I do share a name. Of course I don't use the French spelling..

Beautiful golden melted butter is enriched with sugar, 3 ways. White, brown, and honey.

Eggs are tempered with the warm sugary butter concoction, and the zest of a lemon is added to infuse the batter with its citrusy zing.

The whole liguid mess is whisked into the sifted dry ingredients, forming a silky smooth, bright yellow batter kissed with a delicious lemon scent.

I may or may not have licked my fingers a few times in the process... The batter is GOOD

Now to make Madeleines, you must have a Madeleine pan. It gives the pastries their iconic shell shape.
To help with removal, the pan is brushed with some more butter...

Batter is poured in,

And the little cakes emerge from the oven with knobby backs.

Don't they look funny?

According to the French woman from the cooking channel, this signature hump is the sign of a good Madeleine.

I guess mine turned out alright, based on the looks.

Based on the taste, I can tell you they definitely did!

Soft, spongy, and beautifully golden, these citrus infused cakes are lemony without being overwhelming. It's a nice contrast to the richness provided by the butter and the eggs, and it's brightness balances well with the sugar.

I was so excited to finally use the Madeleine pan I got mom for Christmas, and to learn how to make my pastry namesake. This is a perfect light summer dessert, and I can't wait to try other flavors and variations.

Go make some for someone you love tonight, enjoy!

~Maddy

Lemon Madeleines

adapted from Laura Calder

Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
Zest of 1 lemon
4 eggs

First prepare the pan. Brush each of the compartments with melted or softened butter and place in the freezer to cool while you prepare the batter. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the butter in a small pot on the stove or in the microwave. When melted, remove from the heat and stir in the sugars and the honey.Zest the lemon directly over the pot to catch all the citrus oils as they are released. Crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk to break up the yolks and incorporate them with the whites. Slowly drizzle some of the warm butter mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly, to bring the eggs up to temperature. Then whisk the tempered eggs into the butter mixture. Stir the liquid into the sifted dry ingredients until smooth and no lumps remain. Remove the pan from the freezer and fill each one about 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 7 minutes until puffed and golden. This will vary with ovens I'm sure. I baked my first batch for 8 minutes and they were far too dark on the bottom. Watch the edges closely for coloration and look at the tops of the knobs for doneness. The colder your pan to start, the better. When Madeleienes are done, remove to a cooling rack, re-butter the pan and freeze until very cold again then repeat with the remaining batter.