Meyer Lemon Madeleines
Savoring a cup of tea is one of life's simple pleasures, and I find that the tea ceremony can only be improved with the addition of a pretty madeleine. The shell-shaped French tea cakes might seem intimidating to make at home, but in actuality are quite simple. If you have the right pan, you'll be pulling these Meyer lemon madeleines out of the oven in no time. Sweet Meyer lemon zest flavors the buttery cakes and glaze, adding a welcome burst of citrus. Orange blossom honey lends an exquisite floral perfume and keeps the cakes moist.
Savoring a cup of tea is one of life's simple pleasures, and I find that the tea ceremony can only be improved with the addition of a pretty madeleine. The shell-shaped French tea cakes might seem intimidating to make at home, but in actuality are quite simple. If you have the right pan, you'll be pulling these Meyer lemon madeleines out of the oven in no time. Sweet Meyer lemon zest flavors the buttery cakes and glaze, adding a welcome burst of citrus. Orange blossom honey lends an exquisite floral perfume and keeps the cakes moist.
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 zest of meyer lemon
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon meyer lemon zest
- Carbohydrate 14.5127076407604 g
- Cholesterol 189.106944444168 mg
- Fat 8.97389111105147 g
- Fiber 0.0682500021052883 g
- Protein 5.42808277755041 g
- Saturated Fat 4.34971638885135 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (74g)
- Sodium 1807.09429611535 mg
- Sugar 14.4444576386551 g
- Trans Fat 1.03289758332964 g
- Calories 157 calories
Step-by-step
- Whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
- Whisk together eggs, honey, and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined.
- Add melted butter and mix slowly but thoroughly until smooth.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to a day.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a standard-size madeleine pan with nonstick spray; use a pastry brush to brush the inside of each mold.
- Spoon batter into molds, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, until cakes are pale gold and spring back to the touch.
- Immediately shake madeleines out over a clean dish towel; let cool.
- To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon zest, and juice in a small bowl.
- Use a pastry brush to glaze scalloped side of each baked madeleine.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.
The Thermal Shock Mechanism
Chilling the batter for at least one hour before baking creates the distinctive hump associated with proper madeleines. Placing cold batter into a 350-degree oven generates rapid steam expansion against the cool fat. Standard-size madeleine pans require thorough greasing with nonstick spray and a pastry brush to ensure the delicate shell patterns release cleanly without sticking.Glazing and Preservation
Bake the cakes for 8 to 9 minutes until they turn pale gold and spring back to the touch. Invert the pan immediately onto a clean dish towel to prevent residual heat from overcooking the edges. Whisk powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and additional zest to coat the scalloped surfaces once cooled, then store the finished cakes in an airtight container for up to two days.
