Glazed Lemon Rosemary Madeleines

6 Servings | 15 minutes

My house is the place where plants go to die. It is not intentional. I was genetically predisposed to have a green thumb. My parents were gardeners; their parents were gardeners. I am quite certain that every generation since the Stone Age were successful gardeners. I am a genetic fluke but there is one exception to my hereditary deviance: hearty rosemary. I can keep this herb alive for up to four weeks. I use it in everything, both sweet and savory, as reassurance to my agricultural ancestors that I can grow something besides weeds.

  • ½ cup (71 g) all-purpose, spooned into measuring cup

  • ¾ tsp. baking powder

  • 1/8 tsp. salt

  • 1 large egg (50 g) at room temperature

  • ¼ cup (57 g) olive oil

  • 1 tsp. (4.2 g) vanilla extract

  • ¼ cup (46 g) sugar

  • Zest of one lemon (save lemon juice for glaze)

  • 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped, plus additional for garnish

  • Baking spray

  • 1 Tablespoon (9 gall-purpose flour

    Glaze

  • 1 cup (110 g) confectioner sugar

  • Juice of 1 lemon

Ingredients

  • Sift ½ cup flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.

  • Whisk egg in a medium bowl until frothy. Slowly whisk in olive oil and vanilla until combined and emulsified.

  • Place sugar, lemon zest and 2 tsp. chopped rosemary in a food processor. Pulse until combined and fragrant. Whisk sugar into olive oil mixture.

  • Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Cover and chill batter for one hour or up to overnight.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  • Spray a standard size 12 cavity madeleine pan with baking spray. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of flour into the shell cavities. Turn pan over and tap out excess flour.

  • Spoon batter into each cavity filling 2/3 full. I use a level tablespoon as a guide. Do not overfill.

  • Bake for 15 minutes. The edges should be nicely browned and the madeleines should spring back when touched. Let cool five minutes then remove from pan. Let cool completely before glazing.

Directions

  • Stir the confectioner sugar and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice in a small bowl. Add more lemon juice until desired consistency is achieved. Brush both sides of the madeleines with glaze. Sprinkle with additional rosemary. Let dry.

  • Store madeleines in a covered container at room temperature for a few days. Makes 12.

For Glaze

Gold Key Secrets

  • Rosemary, lemon and salt help to balance the sweetness of the madeleines.

  • The key to achieving the classic shell design is to generously coat and flour the madeleine pan, even a non-stick pan. Any batter that sticks will damage the pretty design.

  • Sugar is abrasive and with the help of the food processor it releases the oils from the rosemary and lemon zest. This provides maximum flavor and aroma. It also reduces the size of the sugar granules. The finer the sugar, the finer the cake texture.

  • Using olive oil instead of butter makes for a lighter and moist madeleine.

  • The lemon glaze seals in the moisture so the madeleines will keep in a sealed container for a few days without drying out.