Chocolate and Lemon Madeleines

I would love to say I first learned of madeleines on a leisurely afternoon reading Marcel Proust, infamous for writing about his love affair with them. The truth is I have the Paris subway to thank.

On an unbelievably cold December day, three of us set out in an attempt to see as much of "the city of lights" as possible. The hitch? We only had 36 hours to do it.

Arriving on the Eurostar from London, we raced to our hotel to drop off luggage before heading out on our whirlwind tour. Like any other cost-conscience traveler we hit the Metro, maps in hand.

Just like in the US, at every single stop are the standard vending machines offering commuters a quick snack but the selection was hardly standard, at least for this American. In every one was at least one row packed with madeleines. I had seen this French "cookie" before then but never thought of them as a grab-n-go kind of treat. No matter where we went, there they were, staring at us from behind sheets of Plexiglas.

Now the reason I attribute my fascination with them to this moment isn't because of the exceptional flavor, which was oddly similar to the smell of the subway platform, or their appearance packaged in "breathable" cellophane (think Twinkies). In my head madeleines were one of the classic French sweets offered on special occasions by little old ladies serving tea. Now the mystique was shattered.

Since then I've been trying various recipes trying to find just the perfect one. I won't say I've gotten there yet but I've come pretty close with this version from Pierre Hermé, made dairy-free of course.

Chocolate and Lemon Madeleines

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
6 1/2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, at room temperature

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder and set aside. Put the sugar, salt and lemon zest in a medium bowl and rub everything together until the sugar is moist, grainy and very aromatic.

2. Using a whisk, beat the eggs into the lemon-sugar mixture until blended. Mash the margarine with your hands to soften slightly. Still using the whisk, beat in the margarine to get it evenly distributed. Gently whisk in the sifted flour mixture, stirring only until the flour is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

3. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and chill it overnight before baking. The overnight rest helps the cookies develop the characteristic bumps on their backs; if you don't have time for an overnight rest, try to give the batter at least an hour in the refrigerator.

4. When you are ready to bake the cookies, center a rack in the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a large 12 mold madeleine pan, then dust the molds with flour, tapping out the excess. (My mold is a little smaller so I was able to get 18 madeleines.)

5. Divide the batter evenly among the madeleine molds. Don't worry about flattening the batter, the heat will do that. Place the pan in the oven, insert a wooden spoon in the door to keep it slightly ajar, and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F.

6. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, or until they are domed and spring back when lightly pressed. Unmold and transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.

This recipe is adapted from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé.