Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour a madeleine pan.

Using an electrical mixture, beat almond paste, butter and sugar until smooth.

Add eggs one after another, beating well between each. Beat on high for 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and pale coloured. Beat in extract.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Pour flour mixture into almond mixture a third at a time, folding gently until incorporated.

Spoon* one tablespoon batter into each mold. Bake 11-13 minutes until light golden and top springs back when pressed.

Cool pan on wire rack for a couple of minutes and gently un-mold. Cool cookies on wire rack and dirt with powdered sugar. Repeat steps 5-6 until all batter has been used.

*Kitchen Tip: A cookie scoop that holds 1 tablespoon of batter makes quick work of this step.

Alternate Baking Method:

Madeleine batter can be baked in mini muffin pans with a slight change in directions. Decrease batter to a scant two teaspoons and bake 10-11 minutes. Makes nearly 50 mini cupcakes.

Note: Madeleines can be double wrapped and frozen up to one month. Thaw on counter and don’t microwave.