Madeleines with Lemon Curd

Warm the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks together until pale in color. Slowly stream in the lemon juice from the saucepan, pouring the juice in one tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition.

Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and whisk over low heat until the mixture turns thick and pudding-like. Move the saucepan off the stove and stir in the unsalted butter.

Transfer the lemon curd to a medium bowl and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, placing the plastic wrap directly onto the lemon curd. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush softened butter onto a madeleine pan; temporarily set aside. Whisk the sugar and eggs in a large bowl until pale and foamy. You can do this by hand or use a hand mixer.

Add the flour and baking soda to the batter, whisking to combine. Follow with the lemon zest, vanilla extract, and the butter (melted). Stir everything to mix; batter will be thick. Chill the batter for about 15 minutes in the fridge.

Pour 1 tablespoon worth of batter into each mold. Bake the madeleines for about 9 to 10 minutes, until their golden along the edges and spongy to the touch. They should also have formed small "humps." Turn the madeleines out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a bismarck tip with lemon curd. Poke into the humps of the madeleines and squeeze out the lemon curd until the lemon curd seeps out from the hole you've created in the madeleine. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.