Candied Ginger Madeleines

Post date: Feb 22, 2010 4:01:12 AM

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

grated zest from 1 medium-sized lemon

1/4 cup finely chopped ginger (3/8-inch dice)

1 3/4 cups flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

additional butter, melted

Melt butter and set aside to cool. Whisk together sugar and eggs for 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture has tripled in volume, is pale in color, and is think enough that wide ribbons fall from the whisk and keep their shape. Add lemon zest and candied ginger.

Sift flour and baking powder together and sprinkle/sift over the egg mixture with the aid of a wire mesh strainer. Fold mixture gently with a cutting-down-and-over motion until all of the flour is incorporated. Take care not to overwork the batter. Fold in the tepid butter and vanilla. Let batter rest in a cool area (not the refrigerator) for 15 minutes, minimally, and up to several hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F

Brush madeleine molds with softened or melted butter. Sift some flour onto molds and tap out excess. Fill molds 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they pull away from the sides of the molds and spring back when touched with a finer. Press down on the "bottom" ends of the shells to remove. Cool on a rack with patterned sides up.

Yields approximately three dozen three-inch cookies.

Makes 3 dozen.