I felt very inspired this week to bake some delicious Lemon and Lavender Honey Madeleines. I hadn’t made madeleines since I left my last restaurant job over 8 years ago. My madeleine molds were still wrapped in the same plastic from the last day when my pastry chef handed them back to me.

I forgot the ethereal perfectness of a just-baked madeleine. The slightly warm madeleines with a crispy exterior and a cake-like interior bursting with the bright flavors of fresh lemon. I ate a few alone in the quiet stillness of my home kitchen. Only someone who truly loves food will bother to find that perfect single moment when something is at its absolute apex. Think about the sot-l'y-laisse (chicken oyster) pulled only a few moments after a chicken is removed from a wood-burning rotisserie when the salty, fatty skin is still crispy. Or maybe the fatty belly from a translucent spring run wild salmon grilled simply with nothing more than a modest sprinkling of flake salt and pepper.

Trouble yourself to make these at home. Pre-made madeleines can never quite capture the texture of a freshly baked one. I use Joel Robuchon’s basic recipe from ‘Simply French’ for all my madeleines. It has an obscene amount of butter which contributes to the crispy shell and rich crumb. If you don’t have madeleine molds at home buy some of these non-stick ones.

Lemon & Lavender Honey Madeleines dipped in Chocolate

PREP: 15 minutes | COOK: 15 - 18 minutes | MAKES: approximately 30 large madeleines or 48 small madeleines

ingredients

• extra flour and room temperature butter for the molds

• 13 tablespoons unsalted butter (6.5 ounces/185 grams)

• 1-2/3 cups confectioner’s sugar (6.75 ounces/190 grams)

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (2.5 ounces/75 grams)

• 1/2 cup fine almond flour (1.5 ounces/48 grams)

• 6 large egg whites

• 2 lemons zested

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon lavender honey, melted and liquidy.

directions

1. Heat butter in a small pot over a medium flame until lightly brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer to another container so that it stops cooking and cools off quickly.

2. Sift the sugar and flour together into a bowl. Add the almond flour and mix well.

3. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with a whisk until frothy. Stir in the flour mixture and then the cooled brown butter. Finally incorporate in the zest, juice, and honey.

4. Prep the molds by generously buttering each mold. I like to sprinkle flour over with a sifter or small strainer until well coated and then tap out the excess flour. It is important to coat the mold well because the butter and flour help to create the exterior texture. Fill the molds just to the top and then refrigerate for 1 hour. If you are serving later at night then hold in the pans until you are ready for them.

5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Make sure it is well heated before you cook your madeleines.

6. Cook madeleines until the edges are turning golden brown, about 15 minutes. Pull them out of the oven and let them cool slightly for 5 minutes then eat a few before anyone notices. Tap them out of their molds.

Chocolate and Vanilla Bean Creme Fraiche Dip

Vermont Creamery is one of my favorite Vermont companies. They make a host of fantastic cheeses like Saint Albans which is a Saint Marcellin knock-off named after the town I live in. One day I was shopping for a tub of their creme fraiche and I grabbed their vanilla bean version by accident. I was a little angry at myself for not reading the label carefully but determined to find a good use for it. I have since made delicious Apple and Cheddar tarte tatins and served them with a slightly sweetened spoonful. PURE HEAVEN, I made this chocolate sauce to dip the madeleines in.

PREP: 1 minute | Cook time: 3 minutes | MAKES: 1 cup

ingredients

• 3/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

• 3 tablespoons of Vermont Creamery creme fraiche

directions

Melt the chocolate chips in your microwave. I generally heat them in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted. Whisk in the creme fraiche until fully incorporated. The sauce will probably thicken completely as you do this. Just microwave or heat gently over a super low flame until melted enough.