Lemon Madeleines

I figured I would take a break from making chocolatey, heavy things and go for something light.  Plus I had a request for something lemon from one of Heay's coworkers.  And the boys at her work were getting anxious because I had promised them treats this week and it was already Wednesday and there were no treats.  So yesterday I got to baking.  After a quick trip to the grocery store to get a couple of things, I came back home and got to work on the cookies.  Now, I always wanted to make these, but never bought the pans.  Over the years I ended up with 2 sets of Madeleine tins - two that are mini and two that are normal sized. 

my mini tins :)

I pull out the cookie bible (its getting a lot of use this week and still going strong, but I fear the final day will come soon) and get the batter going.  This cookie is so easy to make and it is a light and cakey cookie with a hint of lemon - delicious.   And the cool part is once you get it all together, you let it sit for 30 minutes and it thickens and doubles in volume.  I thought it was pretty cool the first time I made these.  But then again, I'm a nerd :) Make sure you butter the tins really well or spray the crap out of them with Pam or whatever cooking spray you use.  If you don't the cookies wont slide out and will stick to the tins and tear.   The first time I made these, I apparently didn't do a very good job at this step because half of them ended up stuck in the tins and I was a very frustrated CB.  So now I go above and beyond spraying down the tins every time and haven't had a problem with them sticking since. 

Once the cookies are done baking, you can coat them in confectioner's sugar.  I suggest you do this, it gives that cookie a little something extra, although they are delicious if you decide to keep them naked as well. 

mini Madeleines coated and cooling

I did one batch of minis and one batch of full sized ones.  Once they were all cooled and ready to go, I went off to go play cookie fairy to the boys at Heay's work and a bag went to Ween's coworkers as well (luckily they work a couple of minutes from each other.)

regular sized Madeleines

The boys loved them and so did Ween's coworkers, who told Ween that it must be a dangerous thing living with me because I make so many treats all the time. 

Lemon Madeleines

makes 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp coarse salt

3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans

Confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
2. 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 batter rest 30 minutes. 
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two madeleine pans.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans, filling the molds three-quarters full.  Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are crisp and golden, 7-8 minutes.  Let cookies cool slightly in pans on wire racks.  Invert, and unmold.  Dust with confectioner's sugar, if desired.