• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Bainbridge Island
  • Books & Writing
  • Crafts & DIY
  • Food
  • Life
  • Our Wedding Cookbook
  • Printables
  • Nav Widget Area

A Mom's Year

Creating a comfortable life one moment at a time

June 30, 2012

Country of the Week: France / Madeleines

For a treat during France Week we made madeleines. Have you ever had these little sponge cakes? They’re delicious, but I think what makes them extra special is their fun shell-shape. I found my madeleine pan at Williams-Sonoma, but I’ve seen them at Target, too.

I have a madeleine recipe from Martha Stewart, but before I used it I checked out some posts like this one about the best way to make madeleines. I discovered that there is quite a bit of debate about how to make the “perfect” madeleine. There are different theories about how long you should mix the batter and how full you should fill the molds. There are arguments about whether or not madeleines should have a “hump.” Only one recipe recommended chilling the batter for at least 30 minutes before baking, but all of them listed lemon zest as an important ingredient.

This was starting to get complicated so I decided I’d better keep it simple and get it done. I went ahead and used Martha Stewart’s recipe but added a teaspoon of lemon zest.

I was happy with how they turned out, and judging by how quickly they disappeared, so was my crew.

Madeleines

modified from The Martha Stewart Cookbook
Makes 24 to 36 madeleines, depending on the size of your pans or molds

4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pans
Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush madeleine pans or small molds with butter.

Beat the eggs, salt, and sugar together until thick, about 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and lemon zest. Fold in the flour, rapidly but gently. Fold in the butter gently, but make sure it does not settle to the bottom. Quickly spoon the batter into the madeleine pans or molds, all the way to the top. Bake until the center is firm and the edges are golden, about 10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Immediately turn the madeleines out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

(Cookies can be stored in a single layer in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 day. But they probably won’t last that long.)

Madeleines may be dusted with confectioners’ sugar after baking.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cooking, Country of the Week, Kid Activities Shannon Leave a Comment

Reader Interactions

Pudding Pop Challenge / Chocolate Chip Vanilla Wafer
Country of the Week: France / Being Matisse

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hello! My name is Shannon Taylor. I'm a long-time writer and editor from Minnesota surprised to find myself on an island in the Pacific Northwest. I'm sharing this adventure with my husband, four kids, and two dogs. I “published” my first newsletter when I was nine, and I’ve loved sharing ideas, stories, and information ever since. I hope you find something here to inspire you and help you create a comfortable, cozy life.
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Instagram

Goat memories popped up today. So cute!❤️ Goat memories popped up today. So cute!❤️

Featured Posts

  • Personalized Valentine Portraits
  • Short Fiction: Claire (A Valentine Story)
  • Valentine Fill-in-the-Blanks
  • 3-D Lollipop Valentines
  • Hanging Hearts-on-a-String Valentine
  • Caped Cute-saders Valentines
  • How to Host a Chinese New Year Party
  • Make: Double Happiness Symbol for Chinese New Year
  • Chinese New Year / Fortune Cookies
  • Chinese New Year Cookies

Fiction

Fiction

Comforting as a big mug of cocoa in front of a warm fire, this cozy family novel is about the connections we make and the traditions that keep us together.

Archives

© 2021 Happy Crow Enterprises, LLC
About    Privacy Policy    Copyright
Pretty Happy WordPress Theme · By: Pretty Darn Cute Design