Madeleine Oysters Recipes

FRENCH BUTTER CAKES (MADELEINES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter and flour 12 (3 inch) 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 ribbons form in bowl when beaters are lifted, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Sift flour into egg mixture 1/3 at a time, gently folding after each addition.
• Add lemon zest and pour melted butter around edge of batter. Quickly but gently fold butter into batter. Spoon batter into molds; it will mound slightly above tops.
• Bake 14 to 17 minutes, or until cakes are golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertip.
• Use the tip of the knife to loosen madeleines from pan; invert onto rack. Immediately sprinkle warm cookies with granulated sugar. Madeleines are best eaten the day they're baked. Leftover madeleines are wonderful when dunked into coffee or tea.
• Variation: Chocolate Madeleines: Omit lemon zest. Increase sugar to 1/2 cup. Substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons of the flour; sift into batter with flour.

MADELEINE OYSTERS

Steps:

• Level off the smooth side of each of the madeleines by shaving off the humps with a serrated knife. Mix the frosting, confectioners' sugar and a little pink food coloring in a medium bowl; stir until a consistent pink is achieved. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large French pastry tube. Pipe a swirl of frosting on the flat side of a madeleine, then sandwich with another, flat sides facing in, so the shape mimics an oyster. Repeat with the remaining cookies and frosting. Place a shimmery candy-coated chocolate in the frosting of each assembled cookie.
• Crumble the brown sugar in a sandy layer across the bottom of a shallow bowl. Arrange the cookie oysters on top.