Blueberry Madeleines

Blueberry Madeleines

There is much debate over the origin of Madeleines, but my here is what I like to believe. They were made by a peasant girl in Commercy, France and discovered by a Duke who was very taken with 'Madeleine's' little cakes. They are little buttery sponge cakes that are baked in a Madeleine pan which resembles seashells. They are best served warm out of the oven with coffee (served with lemon curd is another great idea) and make a delicious snack. The blueberries and orange zest in this recipe have a wonderful flavor and certainly make them more interesting. Madeleines are commonly found all over France.

origin- Tyler Florence 'Eat This Book'
difficulty - easy
health meter - medium (they are small....)

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
4 large eggs
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 14-oz. can blueberries, drained *I used small frozen blueberries thawed and drained

To make the madeleines, sift the flour with the baking powder into a mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk the sugar and the eggs together. Whisk in the orange zest. Then fold in the flour mixture, sifting it over the egg mixture in three batches. When the last batch is almost incorporated, drizzle the butter over the batter and fold in very gently. Chill in refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter and flour two madeleine molds. When the batter is cold, spoon into molds, filling each one about two-thirds full. Dot the top of each with 4 or 5 blueberries, pressing them gently into the batter. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.