Lemon-Almond Madeleines

Madeleine’s are such a showy yet simple French classic. I make them for family birthday parties and Valentine’s Day (because I think it’s fun that they kinda rhyme with Valentine). Madeleines are really not cookies at all but little sponge cakes made from genoise batter. They are light and airy and taste great plain with a little powdered sugar or decorated ornately with white chocolate and nonpareils.

Makes 24 Madeleines

special equipment: Madeleine Shell tray, pastry brush

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for flouring the pan
• 140 grams unsalted butter, (approx 9 tablespoons) melted, cooled, and divided 2 tbsp for greasing the pan; 6 tbsp for cookies
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest

White Chocolate & Decorations

• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup baking sprinkles

Instructions

1. Slightly beat the eggs in a bowl. Measure 1/4 cup of eggs into a bowl.
2. Then beat in the sugar and the cup of flour. Add little more egg ( a tablespoon at a time), if the batter is too dry. When thoroughly blended, set aside and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, bring it to the boil, and let it brown lightly. Set aside.
4. Place the 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl and blend in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the browned butter. Paint the Madeleine cups with the butter-flour mixture. Set aside.
5. Stir the rest of the butter over ice until cool but liquid. Mix the butter with the last of the eggs along with salt, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla and almond extracts.
6. Add this mixture to the resting batter and stir well. Allow the batter to rest for 10 more minutes. If you want a big hump in the middle which is so characteristic about Madeleines, allow the batter to rest for one hour at room temperature or a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 F, and set the racks in upper and lower-middle levels. Divide the batter into 24 lumps of a generous tablespoon each, and drop them into the Madeleine cups. Bake in the preheated oven until the cakes are slightly browned around the edges, humped in the middle, and slightly shrunk from the cups., (8-12 minutes)
8. Un-mold onto a rack. When cool, turn shell side up and dust with confectioners sugar for serving. (dusting is optional). They will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two in an airtight container.

Variation: (for decorative Madeleines)

1. Make the white chocolate dip. Place white chocolate chips in a large heatproof glass bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan and bringing it to a low rolling boil.
2. Remove from heat and slowly pour over the white chocolate chips; whisk together until the chocolate mixture is smooth.
3. Dip each madeleine into the white chocolate, and then immediately decorate with your choice of sprinkles and place on wax paper (or return to the wire rack). Allow the decorations and white chocolate to set before serving. 

Recipe adapted from Julia Child’s “The Way to Cook”

Photo credit: Rose Kesting