Coconut Madeleines

I know I just shared a coconut recipe a week ago but I've been absolutely dying to try these madeleines from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris cookbook, but until recently I didn't own a madeleine pan.  I was at the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto a week ago shopping for my daughter's 26th birthday when I somehow ended up in Williams-Sonoma.  Funny how that happened.....  I was wandering around the store "just looking" when I came upon the madeleine pans and yes, I decided to treat myself. 

I had so much fun making these cookies and I was thrilled with how they came out.  Perfect!  And the taste....like little pillow puffs.  Soft, cakey, and slightly sweet.  Only 1/3 cup of shredded coconut goes into the batter so the coconut flavour is not strong at all and even my daughter who enjoys the flavour of coconut, but doesn't like the little shredded bits getting caught in her teeth, loved these cookies.  I'm thinking even a non-coconut lover would enjoy these.  Ina suggests eating them soon after coming out of the oven as they are the freshest then, but we were still enjoying them 2 days after I made them.  They were still very tasty and not stale at all so don't feel you have to eat them all in one day (but feel free).  These are a perfect cookie to have with your coffee or tea, or even a cold glass of milk.  I'm looking forward to using this pan more and trying other madeleine recipes.

Coconut Madeleines
Printer-Friendly Version

1 1/2 T melted butter, to grease the pans, plus 1/4 pound (1 stick or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (I used 3 large eggs)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Confectioners'/icing sugar, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Thoroughly butter and flour the madeleine pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until light yellow and fluffy. Add 1/4 pound of butter and mix. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, and stir into the batter with a rubber spatula. Stir in the coconut.

With a soup spoon, drop the batter into the pans, filling each shell almost full. Bake the madeleines for 10 to 12 minutes, until they spring back when pressed. Tap the madeleines out onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper and allow to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Makes 24 madeleines (I made mine a bit bigger and got about 17 or 18)

Source:  Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris