World Cuisines: Madeleines (France)

For this recipe, you will need a madeleine mold. I did my research, and I decided to purchase a heavy USA Pan Bakeware mold. The baked madeleines popped out with no problem! It's good to invest in a good pan.

Ingredients:
- 1 stick (4 oz) butter, plus 2 Tbsp for greasing madeleine mold
- zest from 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus a bit more, approx. 1 Tbsp, for dusting
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large, room-temperature eggs
- 2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar

Directions:
- Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, reduce heat and brown butter, stirring often, until it is a dark gold color, approximately 10–12 minutes. Make sure you do not burn it (it should not bubble). Remove from heat and pour into a ceramic bowl to cool. Then stir in vanilla extract and the zest.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
- Using a mixer, beat eggs for 5 minutes on medium speed. Once complete, with mixer still on, add sugar slowly. Do not add all at once or it will not be light and fluffy. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for a further 7 minutes.
- Turn off mixer and gradually fold in flour mixture with a spatula until combined. Make sure you do this gently, and do not overstir.
- Fold in the browned butter mixture.
- Refrigerate batter for 3–5 hours.- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using a silicone brush, grease the mold with butter (melted or room temperature) and dust with the extra flour as in the picture below.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, spoon one scoop of batter into each spot on the greased and dusted mold. Do not put too much batter. They need quite a bit of room to expand.
- Bake for 11 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove mold from oven and after a few minutes for cooling, remove each madeleine by gently lifting it from the mold. I use a wooden skewer, but anything that will not damage the mold (or the madeleines!) will work.
- Dust madeleines with confectioner's sugar as desired

Makes approx. 25 madeleines

They are great right away, but they're my favorite the next day. I'm not sure if they get even better after that, because they do no last in my kitchen very long!

Bon appetit!

World Cuisines: Cornbread (USA)

There are many kinds of cornbread. I like mine slightly sweet with whole kernels of corn inside. In the mornings I smear it with butter and have it with my coffee. In the evenings I enjoy it with bacon and eggs as a dinner option. But every family makes it their own way. There are also many different options for additional ingredients. I wasn't brave enough to make mine with jalapeños.

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder 
- 1/3 cup sugar (or less)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 egg
- 2 cups buttermilk (the fattier the better)
- 1/2 cup of whole kernel corn

Directions:
- Combine the cornmeal, sugar and salt with buttermilk a few hours before you start making the cornbread. This will make the cornmeal less gritty. 
- When you are ready to bake, place a 10 inch cast iron skillet in the oven and set the oven to 425°F
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a big bowl. 
- Start adding the cornmeal mixture you made beforehand into the flour gradually and stir to combine everything evenly.
- Add the egg, salt, and 3 Tbsp of melted butter and stir.
- Stir in the corn. 
- Carefully take the HOT skillet out of the oven. Wait a minute and add the remaining 3 Tbsp of butter into to the skillet, spreading evenly. 
- Pour the batter into the skillet and place it in the oven. Remember the skillet is HOT.
- Bake 23 - 25 minutes.

After the cornbread cools down for 10-15 minutes, remove it from the skillet so it doesn't dry out. Once it is cool wrapped leftovers in foil to keep for later. 

Enjoy!