Famous French novelist Marcel Proust immortalized the Madeleine in his 1923 book À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time) . In it he wrote: "She sent for one of those squat plump little cakes called “petites madeleines,” which look as though they had been molded in the fluted valve of a scallop shell … I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure invaded my senses …"
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Cut the butter into small pieces and put in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- Once melted reduce to low and cook the butter for a further 10 minutes until browned.
- Pour into a bowl and add vanilla extract and lemon zest. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl beat the eggs and sugar until it reaches the ribbon (about 4 minutes - should be thick and pale in color).
- Now fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture in 3 batches taking care not to over mix.
- Lastly fold in the melted butter and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 2 days. 30 minutes before baking take your mixture out the refrigerator.
- Butter your Madeline own and sprinkle with flour. Bake are 375 degrees for 14 minutes. Leave them to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Dust with confectioners sugar or dip in chocolate.
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