French Cakes, Madeleines

Ingredients                                                             Total Time: 45 minutes

2 eggs                                                                       Prep Time: 5 minutes

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup white sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon lemon zest

¼ cup butter

1/3 cup powdered sugar for decoration

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour 12 madeleine molds; set aside. Melt butter and let cool to room temperature. In a small mixing bowl, beat eggs, vanilla, and salt at high speed until light. Beating constantly, gradually add sugar; and continue beating at high speed until mixture is thick and pale and forms ribbons when lifted out of the bowl, 5 to 10 minutes. Sift flour in to egg mixture 1/3 at a time, gently folding after each addition. Add lemon zest and pour melted butter around the edge of the batter. Quickly but gently fold butter into batter. Spoon batter into molds it will mound slightly above the top. Bake 14 to 17 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and the cakes spring back when gently pressed with your finger. Use the tip of a knife to loosen madeleines from pan; invert to rack. Immediately sprinkle warm cakes with powdered sugar. Madeleines are best eaten the day they are baked.