Madelines

I know that madelines have very little to do with Madeline , the beloved children's book character (the author's wife was named Madeline, and the character modeled after their daughter, Barbara), but the two share a certain French sensibility so that, instead of thinking of Proust, I think about childhood's innocence when I taste these lemony cakes Their delicate texture comes from not over-working the batter. It is absolutely essential that you use a madeline pan to make these.

butter, for greasing pan
flour, for greasing pan
3/4 c. unsalted butter, clarified
4 eggs
1/8 tsp. fine sea salt
2/3 c. sugar
Zest of one lemon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour the madeline pan.

Bring the clarified butter to room temperature. Combine the eggs and salt until they thicken and fluff up to twice their original size. Add sugar in two additions and beat on high for 2 minutes, or until the the sugar is incorporated. Fold in the lemon zest vanilla, and flour. Add the clarified butter, stirring just enough to incorporate it.

Spoon the batter into the madeline pan, filling each shell-cup no more than 3/4 full. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Remove the pan from oven and the madelines from the pan. Cool the madelines on wire racks. Dust the top of each cake with powdered sugar.

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