Lemon Madeleines

Elegant madeleines, dipped in finger-licking lemon glaze, make for an irresistible dessert. Recipe courtesy Chuck Hughes

• Ready In: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Yields: 24 madeleines

Ingredients

• Madeleines

• 1  cup/ 250ml butter, plus more for the molds
•  6 small or 4 large egg
• 1  cup/ 250ml sugar
• 1  lemon, juice and zest of
• 1  teaspoon/ 5ml vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2  cups/ 375ml all-purpose flour, plus more for the molds
• 1  teaspoon/ 5ml baking powder
•  lemon zest, for garnish

• Lemon Glaze

• 1⁄2  cup/ 125ml confectioners' sugar
• 1  lemon, juice and zest of

Directions

1. For the madeleines:
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
3. Beat the eggs with the sugar in a bowl until pale, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice and the vanilla. Stir in the flour and baking powder, and then the melted butter.
4. Butter and flour two 12-cookie madeleine molds. (Traditionally, these have the shape of small shells.) Pour the batter into the molds, filling them three-quarters of the way. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees).
6. Bake the madeleines for 5 minutes, then turn down the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and bake until golden brown and puffed in the center, about 10 minutes more.
7. For the lemon glaze:
8. Mix the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Before serving, dip the top of each madeleine in the lemon glaze. Garnish with lemon zest.
9. Cook's Note:
10. Letting the batter rest in the refrigerator and then baking them at a high temperature will help the madeleines rise.