• Cooking Time: 12-14 minutes
• Servings: 2-3 doz reg/4-5 doz sm
• Preparation Time: 35 minutes + 1 hour rest
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 Tbs melted, unsalted butter for greasing pans
• 3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• one pinch salt
• 2/3 cups sugar
• zest of one large lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• powdered sugar for dusting
• extra flour for dusting the pans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
2. Melt the 1 1/2 sticks butter over medium heat until it's browned and gives off a nutty aroma, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool down.
3. Meanwhile, beat the 4 eggs with the salt until they double in volume, around 3 minutes.
4. Add the sugar while continuing to beat at high speed for 2 minutes until mixture thickens.
5. Fold in lemon zest and vanilla lightly with a spatula just until mixed.
6. Gently sprinkle the flour on top of the egg mixture and fold in.
7. Last, fold in the butter mixture just until blended.
8. Let batter rest, covered for 1 hour.
9. While batter rests, melt remaining 2 Tbs butter and using a clean pastry brush, butter the madeleine molds very, very thoroughly getting into each crevice.
10. Spoon batter into molds, filling each one 2/3-3/4 full. A small cup can be used to pour batter in if desired.
11. Bake the madeleines for 12-14 minutes (7-10 minutes for small size molds), or until the edges of the madeleines are golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a piece of parchment paper.
12. Cool on racks and dust with confectioners sugar, using a fine mesh strainer, just before serving.

This is a recipe that I pieced together from two others that I wondered if I could meld together. I kept the elements that worked and omitted the ones that didn't. The result?......some really lemony, cake-like cookies! Even my husband who really only loves things chocolate raved about them. Two really important points before trying this recipe: 1)Be sure you have a madeleine pan (metal works best for browning the cookies), either the standard size or the mini molds. 2)Give the batter time to rest while your butter cools.