Oh, My Delicate Madeleines!

Having baked madeleines using both recipes that I compared in the June'06 issue of Smart Cookies, I am convinced that the keys to success are:

1. Using a weak flour with low protein content such as cake flour.

2. Sifting the flour to aerate it.

3. Beating egg whites separately before gently folding them into the rest of the batter.

Ingredients for approximately 2 dozen cookies are:

Cake flour	1¼ cups
Baking powder	¼ tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Unsalted butter, melted and cooled	½ cup or 1 stick
Granulated sugar	½ cup
Eggs, separated	2 large
Finely grated zest of a large lemon.
Pure lemon extract	½ tsp

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, butter and flour baking pans or spray them with nonstick baking spray.

• Sift cake flour, baking powder, salt together and set aside.
  
  
• Blend sugar into the melted but cooled butter with a wire whisk until smooth.

• Thoroughly whisk in egg yolks, lemon zest and pure lemon extract.

• Gradually stir in the flour mixture, then set aside.

• Beat egg whites, using an electric mixer, until stiff.

• Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the rest of the ingredients.

• Fill each mold up to ¾ full with batter.

• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and center is springy to touch.

  
  

• Immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack so that madeleines can cool completely there.

  Store in airtight containers at room temperature. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving if desired.