Orange Madeleines

[Megan Blocker]

Orange Madeleines

Serves 6 as Dessert.

Madeleines are a classic French delight, hovering somewhere between cookie and cake. They are delicious right out of the oven - gently crisp on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside - or a day after baking, when they are best enjoyed with a mug of tea or hot chocolate, a la Proust.

This recipe is based on the basic madeleine from The Martha Stewart Cookbook, but I've added some orange flavorings (zest and Grand Marnier), which I find play on the unique texture of the madeleines.

The recipe halves and doubles very neatly; there's no need to re-grease the pan between batches.

You will need a madeleine pan for this recipe; the deeper the ridges in the pan, the more defined your madeleines will be!

• 4 eggs
  
• 2/3 c sugar
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp Grand Marnier (or other orange-flavored liqueur)
  
• 1 c all-purpose flour, sifted
  
• 1 T finely grated orange zest
  
• 1/4 c butter, melted and cooled
  

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a pastry brush and a few tablespoons of melted butter, grease the madeleine pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs, sugar and salt on medium-high speed until thick. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes. Add the orange liqeur.

Toss the orange zest with the sifted flour and gently mix the mixture into the eggs. Fold in the melted butter until well combined.

Spoon the batter into the greased madeleine pans and place in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown and the cookies are spongy to the touch.

Remove the cookies from the pan as soon as they come out the oven (you should be able to just turn the pan over some parchment paper and let the cookies drop out. Cool on parchment paper or a cooling rack.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several days, but they will go stale quickly. Of course, some people love them stale, so use your own judgment!

Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Cookie, French

( RG1610 )