Madeleines

Name: Madeleines
Prep time: 85 min
Cook time: 11 min
Yield: 24 to 24 servings
Cuisine: French Menu
Ingredients: Butter — 98 g; All-purpose Flour — 100 g; Baking Powder — ¼ tsp; Eggs — 2; Granulated Sugar — 100 g; Vanilla Extract — 1 tsp; Lemon Zest — 1 tsp

These delicate French madeleines are exquisite, shell-shaped cakes that offer a perfect, melt-in-the-mouth texture with a sophisticated, browned-butter fragrance. Featuring a distinct hump, these light and airy delights are crisp on the edges while remaining tender and moist within; a simple, elegant treat that is genuinely superior to any standard cake, providing a beautiful, sophisticated bite that is ideal for any occasion or afternoon tea.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 85 minutes
Cooking: 11 minutes

Servings: 24 to 24

Notes:

Browning the butter is a transformative step; it adds a rich, nutty, and highly aromatic depth to the batter that standard melted butter simply cannot match, giving the madeleines their characteristic flavour profile.

The batter benefits immensely from a lengthy chilling period; refrigerating it for at least one hour allows the batter to firm up, which helps the madeleines create their signature 'hump' when exposed to the heat of the oven.

Achieving the right aeration is vital; beat the eggs and sugar on high speed for approximately eight minutes until the mixture is thick, glossy, and leaves a visible trail from the whisk, as this air is what provides the light, airy lift.

Be extremely gentle when folding the dry ingredients and the browned butter into the aerated egg mixture; you must retain as many air bubbles as possible to ensure the final cakes are delicate and tender, not tough.

Chilling the buttered baking pan before filling it is a professional trick that ensures the edges crisp up beautifully and the shell design remains sharp, while also helping to trigger the rapid expansion needed for the iconic hump.

Brown the Butter
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it foams and turns a deep golden brown, then set aside to cool slightly.

Prepare Dry Ingredients
Sift the all-purpose flour and baking powder together in a small bowl and set aside until required.

Aerate
Beat the room-temperature eggs and granulated sugar in a stand mixer on high speed for approximately 8 minutes until the mixture is thick, pale, and leaves a trail.

Fold and Combine
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture in batches, then fold in the browned butter, keeping the batter light and airy throughout.

Chill
Cover the batter with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the surface, and refrigerate for one hour, whilst simultaneously chilling a buttered madeleine pan in the freezer.

Bake
Fill each mould with one tablespoon of batter, then bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 9 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden and the characteristic hump has formed.

Finish
Allow the madeleines to cool slightly on a rack, then dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.