Cornmeal and Shallot Madeleines with Creme Fraiche and Caviar

• 1/3 cup minced shallot
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 large egg, beaten lightly
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream plus additional as a topping
• 3 tablespoons water
• about 2 ounces of caviar

1. In a skillet cook the shallot in 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened and let the mixture cool completely.
2. In a bowl stir together the cornmeal, the flour, the baking powder, and the shallot mixture, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits, and blend the mixture until it resembles fine meal.
3. Stir in the egg, 1/4 cup of the creme fraiche, the water, and salt and pepper to taste and stir the batter until it is combined well.
4. On a baking sheet heat 16 well-buttered 2 2/3- by 1 3/4-inch madeleine tins (about 2 tablespoons capacity) in the middle of a preheated 400F.
5. oven for 2 minutes, remove the tins from the oven, and into each tin spoon a heaping 1 1/2 teaspoons of the batter.
6. Bake the madeleines on the baking sheet in the middle of the 400F.
7. oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, turn them out onto racks, and let them cool completely.
8. The madeleines may be made 3 days in advance and kept chilled in an airtight container.
9. Top the madeleines with the additional creme fraiche and the caviar.

shallot, cold unsalted butter, yellow cornmeal, flour, doubleacting baking powder, egg, creme fraiche, water, caviar

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cornmeal-and-shallot-madeleines-with-creme-fraiche-and-caviar-12328 (may not work)