Best Madeleines (French Butter Cakes)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter and flour 12 (3-inch) madeleine molds; set aside.

2. Melt butter and let cool to room temperature.

3. Beat eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small mixing bowl at high speed until light. 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.

4. Sift flour into the egg mixture, a third at a time, gently folding after each addition.

5. Add lemon zest and pour melted butter around the edge of the batter. Quickly but gently fold butter into the batter.

6. Spoon batter into molds; it will mound slightly above tops.

7. Bake until cakes are golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertip, 14 to 17 minutes.

8. Use the tip of the knife to loosen madeleines from the pan; invert onto a rack. Immediately sprinkle warm cookies with granulated sugar.

Tips

Madeleines are best eaten the day they're baked. Leftover madeleines are wonderful when dunked into coffee or tea.

Chocolate Madeleine Variation:

Omit lemon zest. Increase sugar to 1/2 cup. Substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons of the flour; sift into the batter with flour.