Chocolate Covered Madeleines

Whether you consider them a cake or a cookie, there's no denying that madeleines are elegant and delicious. These dainty, delicate treats are a French classic. They're always baked in special madeleine pans, which have shell-like indentations. Martha's madeleines recipe is leavened only by the whipped eggs, no baking powder here, and flavored with vanilla and lemon juice and zest. As they are made with just a few ingredients, it’s important to use good quality butter and vanilla—you'll taste the difference. Martha veers from tradition in that she uses a mixer to make the madeleines; traditionally, these tea cakes were mixed by hand, but using a mixer speeds up the process.