MADELINES

Classic French Madeleine Recipe
Makes 24 Cookies / 1 ounce (30g) each.
The madeleine is a traditional small cake from Lorraine region in northeastern France.

Madeleines are simple to make despite what you read about it. There are 2 important things to know though.
1- Incorporate warm butter into the batter; the baking powder will begin to react in the presence of moisture and heat to release gas (carbon dioxide) then it will slow down during its refrigeration period.
2- Preheat oven and baking sheet to high temperature; this technique combines hot and cold. As bread reacts in a very hot oven, the dough will rise up, then half way through the temperature is lowered to finish baking. That is called: ‘cuire à chaleur tombante’ / bake at decreasing temperature.

4 ea. (200g) eggs
3/4 cup (175g) granulated sugar
1.9 cup (280g) all-purpose flour, sifted
1.5 Tbsp (15g) baking powder, sifted
2 sticks (230g) unsalted butter, melted 
3 ea. lemons zests (preferably organic) / Lemon extract and vanilla can be added too.
Softened butter to grease nonstick madeleine baking pan (use butter and flour if using a madeleine metal pan or cooking spray or softened butter and cooking spray instead of flour).

Method
Gently beat eggs and sugar and incorporate the sifted flour and baking powder. Melt butter and add lemon zests; keep warm.
If baking the same day:
Refrigerate batter for an hour (without the fat). Fold warm butter into the chilled batter until smooth. Turn oven on, grease and chill madeleine pan. Spoon cookies into the chilled greased pan and bake immediately.
If baking a day after for best results:
Melt butter and add lemon zests. Gently beat eggs and sugar and incorporate the sifted flour and baking powder. Add the warm butter with zests, cover and refrigerate overnight (12 hours) before baking. The previous method works as well if you want to bake half of the batch the same day and remaining a day after. With this method, there is no need to freeze madeleine cookies before baking.

Baking
Set the oven rack adjusted to the middle position with a baking sheet or a pizza stone.
Bake one cookie sheet at a time (12 madeleines).
Bake in a preheated 500ºF (260ºC) oven for 5 minutes, then lower temp to 350ºF (180ºC) and continue baking for 7 minutes more.
Lower temperature to 25ºF (15ºC) if using a convection oven; baking time might be shortened to 10 minutes rather than 12.

Madeleine batter can be refrigerated up to 4 days before baking. Madeleines are at their best 1 hour after being baked.
Store baked madeleines in an airtight container for a few days. Madeleines can be frozen months as well.
No need to sprinkle powdered sugar on madeleines and they should be served standing up showing off their beautiful bumps!