Real Madeleines Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter and flour 12 (3 inch) madeleine molds; set aside.
• Melt butter and let cool to room temperature.
• In a small mixing bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and salt at high speed until light.
• Beating constantly, gradually add sugar; and continue beating at high speed until mixture is thick and pale and ribbons form in bowl when beaters are lifted, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Sift flour into egg mixture 1/3 at a time, gently folding after each addition.
• Add lemon zest and pour melted butter around edge of batter. Quickly but gently fold butter into batter. Spoon batter into molds; it will mound slightly above tops.
• Bake 14 to 17 minutes, or until cakes are golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertip.
• Use the tip of the knife to loosen madeleines from pan; invert onto rack. Immediately sprinkle warm cookies with granulated sugar. Madeleines are best eaten the day they're baked. Leftover madeleines are wonderful when dunked into coffee or tea.
• Variation: Chocolate Madeleines: Omit lemon zest. Increase sugar to 1/2 cup. Substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons of the flour; sift into batter with flour.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6½ and butter eight holes of a madeleine tin (if you have a six-hole tin you'll need to bake in two batches). Beat the egg, sugar and honey together using an electric whisk until pale, fluffy and tripled in volume. Add the flour and a small pinch of salt, and finally mix in the melted butter.
• Spoon the mixture into the buttered holes of the madeleine tin and bake for 8-10 mins or until puffed up and golden. Turn out onto a cooling rack while you cook a second batch if using a smaller tin. Best eaten warm from the oven but will keep in an airtight container for up to two days.