Madeleines

The first time I ate madeleines a few years ago, I fell in love with it right away.  My Japanese friend baked some and brought it to our Thanksgiving party.  After tasting it, I vowed to try to make some myself as soon as I can. It finally happened last week when after months of pondering, I gave in and bought my first ever madeleine pan. I was a bit scared at first to try it after reading some complicated recipes. I guess the hardcore bakers in France, where it's originally from, really use the more complicated method. But for a novice like me, the simplest recipe is the best fit. The cakes came out great, and tasted awesome. My mother-in-law even said that by far, it's the best desert I've ever made. And that if I were to bake just one kind of desert for our Sunday dinners, it would have to be the madeleines.

Here's the recipe.  Please try it and enjoy!

Madeleines (adapted from Laura Rebecca's Kitchen)

2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Pinch of salt
1 cup all purpose flour
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 375-degrees F. Generously butter and flour a Madeleine pan. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl just to blend. Beat in vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Add flour; beat just until blended. Gradually add cooled melted butter in steady stream, beating just until blended.

Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each indentation in pan. Bake until puffed and brown, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Gently remove from pan. Repeat process, buttering and flouring pan before each batch. (Can be made 1 day ahead.) Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar.

I noticed that the cakes rise well when the batter is prepared in advance and chilled overnight. Also, you may add some variations to the cakes by dipping them in lemon glaze or dark chocolate ganache. Trust me, your guests will go crazy!