French Madeleine Recipe

Have you noticed that French Madeleines are popping up everywhere? You can get them at coffee shops, supermarkets and at children's birthday parties. Not really...maybe just at San Francisco ones. Recently, young Bella was invited to a preschool buddies house for a Madeleine cooking party. I'm sure your asking yourself, that seems a lot for 3 & 4 years olds to make? But, her French Daddy was lovely, had the children put on paper chef hats and taught all of us his French secrets. Can I share them you?

There are many kinds of Madeleines, but below is my favorite recipe. (I usually add half of the lemon zest.) You an also make olive oil & sea salt,  jasmine tea, peanut butter, lemon shell, one side dipped in chocolate, orange zest and with a raspberry center.

Recipe makes 20 French Madeleines:

3/4 cup butter

1 2/3 cup wheat flour

2tsp baking powder

1tsp of vanilla bean (or extract) 

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

zest 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup of powered sugar

Madeleine non-stick pan

First,  preheat your oven to 425F. Next melt the butter - let it cool on the side. Spray cooking spray on the madeleine pan *the trick here is to butter and flour each tray so the Madeleines puff up and brown nicely. Using an electric mixer stiff the flour and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix the vanilla, eggs and sugar. Now add the flour mix to the wet ingredient bowl,  add the melted butter and finally the lemon zest. 

Breathe your creation in deeply!

Quickly reduce oven heat to 400F and bake your deliciousness for 7-9 minutes. Cool madeleines on a wire rack. Once they've cooled sprinkle them with powered sugar.

Try to eat all of them within 3 days. I find that they lose their freshness if kept any longer, but I know you can complete this task...no problem. So let's go make a cup of tea while our Madeleine's are cooling. Ah, you've worked so hard today Bella. Do you have a favorite kind of French Madeleine's?