Our baby is finally here! We were so thrilled to meet him after 42 weeks. Who knew I'd make such a good oven? It was truly worth the wait. Our little Charlie was born July 25, and he weighed as much as a 10 lb bag of flour. Unreal.
Here in the South, the seasonal strawberry harvest is virtually over. You can still find them at the Farmers Market, but the yield is so low that they sell out within minutes, since local, fresh-picked strawberries have a taste, flavor and smell that are beyond irresistible. There's nothing quite like them. I'm so glad I grabbed my two gallons of berries when I had the chance. It gave me the opportunity to experiment (and incessantly eat), this amazing fruit!
Today we're making Strawberry Madeleines. I've been a fanatic of these buttery treats ever since I made my first batch of Vanilla Madeleines. They're so pretty and I love their light sweet flavor. Did I also mention how simple they are to make? This French dessert is perfect for experimenting with flavors and perfectly presentable for entertaining.
RECIPE
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Yield: 24 cakes
INGREDIENTS
- 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup strawberry puree (1 cup strawberries with tablespoon sugar, combined in a blender)
- 9 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
DIRECTIONS
Note: If you are using a shiny, metal madeleine pan, then increase the heat to 375℉ and bake for 15-20 minutes. If you are using non-stick, dark coated pan, decrease heat to 350℉.
Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease two, 12 hole madeleine pans with melted butter.
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
In a bowl of a mixer with paddle attachment, beat the sugar with the lemon zest.