Madeleines

Baking powder will help the batter rise, but it may be omitted for thinner cookies. The vanilla bean may be replaced by 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ADDED with the butter. A small delicate cake, somewhat like a butter cookie, baked in special shell-shape pans.

• Ready In: 27 mins
• Yields: 40 cookies

Ingredients

• 1  vanilla bean
• 1  cup sugar
• 5  eggs
• 2  teaspoons  grated lemon peel or 2  teaspoons  orange peel
• 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 12  tablespoons butter, melted and cooled until tepid

Directions

1. Split open the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. (Reserve the pod for use as a sugar flavoring. I stick it in sugar bowl for vanilla flavoured sugar).
2. Whisk together the vanilla seeds, sugar and eggs for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture TRIPLES in volume and is almost white in color. Add the lemon peel. Sift the flour and baking powder together, sprinkle them onto the egg mixture, and fold them in gently but thoroughly—however do not overwork the batter. Fold in the tepid butter.
3. Let the batter rest in a cool place, not the refrigerator, for at least 15 minutes; it can wait for several hours.
4. Brush Madeleine molds with softened butter and flour them. Fill the molds three quarters full with the batter. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies spring back when pressed with a finger.
5. To make about 40 to 140 depending on the size of the molds.
6. La Cuisine D’eve Et Olympe.