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Citrus season is here, and there’s no better way to embrace it than with sunny citrus madeleines. Brown butter and a mix of Meyer lemon and Cara Cara orange zest flavor these petite French butter cakes, with golden edges that give way to soft and light centers.
These cakes remind me of buttery citrus clouds, especially blissful when devoured slightly warm with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Here’s to bringing a little sunshine into the kitchen!
More madeleine recipes you’ll love:
- Brown Butter Pistachio Madeleines
- Lavender White Chocolate Madeleines
- Brown Butter Honey Madeleines
- Earl Grey Madeleines
Citrus Madeleines
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 39 minutes
- Yield: 15 madeleines
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French
Description
Citrus season is here, and there’s no better way to embrace it than with citrus madeleines. Brown butter and citrus zest flavor these French butter cakes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp Meyer lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 cup flour
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a medium brown, about 5 minutes. Pour browned butter into a glass measuring cup and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Combine sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Transfer citrus sugar to a medium bowl and whisk in flour. Combine eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together until frothy, about 1 minute. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir with a spatula just until combined. Add the cooled brown butter and stir in just until incorporated. Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and butter and flour a nonstick madeleine pan. Use a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop (or 2 spoons) to fill molds with a generous tablespoon of batter.
- Bake for about 14 minutes, until puffed and golden, and edges spring back to the touch. Remove madeleines from oven and immediately turn out onto a wire rack or clean tea towel to cool. Just before serving, dust madeleines lightly with powdered sugar.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, or wrap well and freeze.
Notes
Baking pan: Madeleine molds available at Williams Sonoma.
That sounds like the perfect way to spend this rainy weekend – I have some more lemon treats in mind too!
Buttery citrus clouds sounds like the perfect title for these! Great little treats for an afternoon tea! 🙂