Madeleines - Petite sponge cakes with shell-like shape

The madeleines are a traditional cake from Northeastern France. They are small sponge cakes with shell-like shape because of being baked in shell shape depressed molds.

One of the histories of madeleines dates to 18 century. Madeleine Paulmier was a cook for Stanislaw Leszczyński , Duke of Lorraine, which was father –in- law of Louis XV, named them for her. Other story goes that the nuns of St. Mary Magdalen (St. Madeleine) made and sold the cakes to support them and their school.

No matter what origin is true, it is obvious that madeleines become famous by Marcel Proust’s novel, ‘In Search of Lost Time, also known as ‘Remembrance of Things Past’. 

-Sources from Wikipedia & Anna Maria’s open Kitchen

I have an old French cookbook published in 1969, La Cuisine Secrets of Modern French Cooking which has hundreds of classic recipes not only French but also all western cuisines from basic sources to dishes required professional skills. I got this madeleine recipe from the book.

Lemon & Chocolate Espresso Madeleines

Madeleines

Adapted from La Cuisine Secrets of Modern French Cooking by Raymond Oliver, 1969

Ingredients:

Yield:  24 madeleines Baking time: 10~12min @ 375F(190C) 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/8 tsp. salt1 1/2 cup (100g) unsalted butter 3 large eggs, @ room temperature 1/2 cup (133g) granulated white sugar2 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract Instructions: 1. Melt the butter, cool it and set aside. 2.Grease two madeleine pans (12 madeleine molds each) with butter. 3. Shift the flour, the baking powder and the salt together and set aside. 4. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). 5. In a bowl, beat the eggs and the sugar until the color of the mixture change to pale yellow for 4~5 min.  6. Add the vanilla extract (or lemon extract + lemon zest, espresso powder + cocoa powder. See Tips for variations) to the mixture and beat to combine all. 7. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir the batter. Don’t over-mix. 8. Add the melted butter into the batter and stir until incorporated. 9. Drop a table spoonful batter on the center of the madeleine molds and bake at 375F (190C) for 10~12min until the edges are golden brown.  Tips: 1. Original recipe doesn’t require salt. However, without salt, the madeleines taste a little bland. 2. If you like sweeter madeleines, increase the sugar up to 2/3 cup.  3. Variations:     -* Lemon Madeleines       : Add 1/2  tsp. pure lemon extract + 1 tsp. lemon zest instead of 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract     -* Chocolate Espresso Madeleines       : Add 1 tsp. espresso powder + 1/4 cup cocoa powder