Lemon Almond Madeleines
Submitted by gbpdude
Lemon almond madeleines: classic French shell-shaped tea cakes with ground almonds and fresh lemon zest, finished with powdered sugar. Twenty-four buttery cookies for tea time.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
25 minREADY
55 minProust would approve. These madeleines follow the classic French shell-shaped tradition with two additions that make them sing: ground blanched almonds folded into the batter and a tablespoon of fresh lemon zest brightening every bite.
Grinding the almonds with sugar in a food processor is the technique that prevents the nuts from turning into oily paste. The sugar absorbs the released oils and keeps the almonds powder-fine, the texture you need for a smooth, tender madeleine crumb.
The scallop-shaped pans are everything. They give madeleines their signature ridges and the characteristic “hump” that develops on the back during baking. Buttering them well between batches with clarified butter is non-negotiable. Madeleines stick fiercely to inadequately greased pans.
Bake in the lower third of the oven at 375°F (190°C) for exactly 10 minutes. They should be golden at the edges but still tender in the middle. Turn out immediately onto a rack. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, never in advance (the sugar dissolves into the cookie if you wait).
Pro Tips
- Use clarified butter (ghee) for the molds. Regular butter burns at the high heat and madeleines stick.
- Don’t overfill the molds. Two-thirds full is right. Madeleines rise and overflow if filled to the rim.
- For maximum “hump” effect, chill the filled molds 30 minutes before baking. Cold batter hits the hot oven and lifts dramatically.
- Madeleines are best the day they’re baked. They lose freshness within 24 hours.
Variations
- Swap lemon for orange zest and use orange juice instead of lemon juice.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste to the batter for richer flavor.
- Dip cooled madeleines in melted dark chocolate for an elegant finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
With a pastry brush, butter the madeleine molds well with some of the clarified butter.
In a food processor, grind the almonds with the sugar to a very fine texture.
I n a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter, add the almond mixture, beating, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and then beat in the rind.
Into a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and the salt and add to the butter mi xture, alternately with the lemon juice, beginning and ending with the flour mi xture and blending the batter after each addition.
Using an offset spatula, spread the batter into the buttered madeleine molds, scraping off any excess batter with the edge of the spatula.
Place the filled molds on a baking sheet.
Bake the madeleines in the lower third of the oven for 10 minutes, or until golden at the edges.
Turn them out onto a rack to cool.
Wash and dry the molds, butter again and repeat process with remaining batter.
Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the cooled madeleines prior to serving.
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