Lemon Madeleines

When I saw that the Flavor of the Month for August was Lemon or Lime, I knew it would be a hard choice for me to pick what to bake. Brian LOVES any dessert with a lemon flavor to it. Absolutely loves it. His great-aunt used to make a lemon cake that he still dreams about. We've all tried to recreate the cake, but no one can get it the way he remembered it.

I've wanted to make Madeleines for a long time, so the Flavor of the Month gave me a good reason to try them out!

Lemon Madeleines
Source: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted (not self-rising)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons total)
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two madeleine pans; set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
Put eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes. Mix in butter. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Let rest 30 minutes.
Pour batter into buttered pans, filling the molds 3/4 full. Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are crisp and golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly in pans on wire racks. Invert, and unmold. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to one day.
First published: December 2005

Check out the other entries into the Flavor of the Month: