Easter Brunch French Butter Cookies

Easy to make French butter cookies known as Madeleines

These little butter cookies are best described by Marcel Proust in Remembrance of Things Past, where he fondly reminisces of his mother baking them and him eating them fresh from the oven. Strange but sweet memories cookies can bring. The act of watching someone bake and that smell from the oven. Then trying to sneak one while they are cooling and holding them in your hand while they are warm. And finally... washing it all down with an ice cold glass of milk. Sounds good to me.

 If you are really in to literature or Marcel Proust, I hear the book is an interesting
read in a geeky kind of way.

Anyway, Madeleines tend to get dryed out. So eating them warm out of the oven is advised.
You can mix the batter up ahead of time, put it in the refrigerater until you are ready.
Of course you will need a Madeleine pan, which can be found at most houseware sections of a major store. If you have a black nonstick pan, it is best to decrease the oven temp by 25 degrees.

Now here is the trick... Madeleine batter can be a finicky creature at best,
soooo I use pound cake mix with adaptations, crazy right?:

1 pound cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 stick butter, softened

2/3 cup water or milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

These are great for weekends, brunches, or any occasion, when you want something a little
sweet with your coffee or tea.