Welcoming March with Jasmine Madeleines

As I mentioned during my last blog post, I recently went to an international grocery store, and that trip has inspired me to try some different spins on classic recipes.  For example, I was in the Thai section of the store and I saw this bottle:

I had never even heard about jasmine essence before this trip, but I enjoy jasmine teas and was  intrigued by how I could use jasmine in baking desserts.  That night I searched the internet and found a post on a blog called Brooklyn Farmhouse about jasmine madeleines.  My newest baking toy tool is a madeleine pan, so I immediately knew what I was going to try and make!

I did not use the recipe on Brooklyn Farmhouse; instead, I used the recipe that first inspired me to buy the madeleine pan--Julia Child's Madeleines de Commercy, the madeleines with the hump on the back (found here).  I've made this recipe a couple of times now and it has always been wonderful--crispy on the outside with a soft inside.  I increased the vanilla in Julia's recipe to 1 tsp, added 1/2 tsp jasmine extract, and omitted the lemon juice, but otherwise made the recipe exactly as described. 

They were delicious and smelled terrific!  Julia's wonderful recipe is accentuated with a note of jasmine on your tongue after you swallow.  These madeleines are a touch of East meets a traditional French dessert.  

By the way, happy March!  Hopefully winter will be over soon.  I went for a walk around my neighborhood yesterday and saw daffodils were beginning to sprout even though it is still really cold.  I even saw one in bloom.  What better way to celebrate March then by being inspired in the kitchen by flowers!