Easy Lemon Madeleines
Pre-covid times and back at my agency gig, I baked a lot for my co-workers. One of my easy go-tos were madeleines. These fluffy, spongey, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth goodies are so yummy and way easier to make than they look. Just make sure you have a madeleine mold!
These pastries are definitely a nice touch if you're serving tea/coffee after dinner or if you want to give out cute party favors post-dinner party, wrap them individually in cellophane and ribbon. I've also served this at a ladies' tea party, as well as donated them to a bake sale (they were a hit!).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prep your molds. You'll want to butter or spray your molds and then dust them with flour.
(How to dust your molds with flour: After spraying your molds, cover lightly the molds in flour. Shake out the excess by hitting the sides of your molds) This dusting coat will help the madeleines easily pop out when done.
Whisk eggs, sugar, salt, both extracts, and the lemon juice together until smooth.
Mix in the flour gently. Fold in the lemon zest and melted butter last.
Pour the batter into the molds (I usually spoon it in the mold to prevent an overflowing mold). Bake for 8-12 mins until golden and the tops spring back when you touch them.
Once they're done, take them out of the oven, and immediately lift from the mold and place on a wire rack to cool. You'll need to move fast to prevent them from sticking to the mold. I use a butter knife to help lift them up.
Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar! (Don't do this while the madeleines are still warm or even slightly warm. The powdered sugar will melt and you'll get a sticky mess).
Other ways to dress your madeleines: dip half of the cookie in melted chocolate and top with crushed pistachios or almonds.
Serve them naked with fresh fruit and whipped creme fraiche.
