French Madeleines - Fill the Cookie Jar

French Madeleines are they a cookie or a cake?  These yummy morsels are perfect treat to have with your afternoon tea or coffee or even use them for a delicious dessert.

                    French Madeleines                    

This month's Fill the Cookie Jar theme is healthy or a cookie that makes you think of a new start.  I am not sure that these cookies fit either theme but they are delicious and worth making.

I had found a madeleine pan a while back for $3... yes  $3 and it now I think it is one of my best purchases.  I made this recipes three times over the holidays and each time I have changed the flavour so I feel that I have a new cookie each time I make them.  These yummy cookies or cakes work wonderfully as a light dessert with some whipped cream and fruit.

I found this recipe on Discover - A Blog by World Market.  The Honey Vanilla recipe I think is just perfect.. not to sweet and you can add different spices to make them your own.  The first batch I made I added cardamom and then I decided to add anise (my favorite flavor) ~ I thought these spices were perfect for the holidays.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter melted and cooled

1/4 sugar (I use zulka morena pure cane sugar)

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla (I used anise extract when I used anise)

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 tsp anise or cardamom

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Butter Madeleine pan (I used PAM)

Melt butter and set aside to cool.

Once butter is cool, add sugar and mix well.

Add honey, vanilla and eggs.  Mix well.

In another bowl mix flour, baking powder and either anise or cardamom.

Mix dry and wet ingredients just until they are well incorporated.

Spoon batter into mold, tap pan against counter to remove bubbles.
Let sit for 5 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on wire rack.
Dust with powdered sugar.

Note:  For one batch I used orange sweet finishing sugar and cardamom.  I think you could use some orange zest and orange flavouring.  I also mixed this recipe by hand... no mixer needed.

The original recipe said to mix the dry and wet ingredients and let stand for 5 minutes.  I found that it was easier to spoon the batter into the mold and let stand for 5 minutes.

I can't wait to try a few different flavours, I am thinking the next one will use lemon.. What spices or flavours would you use?