Madeleines are small, dainty, delicate, fluffy and delicious little butter sponge cakes shaped like seashells. They are so easy to eat and will disappear like magic before they’ve even cooled. They’re best served just out of the oven and will only stay crisp on the outside for a day or two, if they last that long.
Madeleines can be made in many different flavours, like Earl Grey tea, blueberry, orange and cardamom, chocolate, pistachio and anything else you can dream up.
Louis XV made madeleines famous at Versailles. The story goes that King Louis first tasted madeleines on a visit to Lorraine and was smitten at first bite. He gave them to his wife, Marie, who in turn, introduced them to the French court.
Now it’s your turn. Let us all eat cake!
Melting Madeleines
Ingredients
- 75 g plus 1 tbsp butter
- 85 g sifted flour
- ¾ tbsp baking powder
- 100 g sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
- Icing sugar
Instructions
- Chill madeleine baking pan in fridge for 30 minutes
- Pre-heat oven to 220 °C
- Remove chilled madeleine pan and brush with the tablespoon of butter, brushing evenly in each individual mould (alternatively spray with cooking spray)
- Dust with flour, shake off any excess and return pan to the fridge
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt
- Melt 75g butter
- Using a hand mixer, combine butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice and beat in eggs one by one
- Continue to beat until batter is pale yellow
- Fold in dry ingredients
- Cover the bowl and chill the mixture in the fridge for an hour
- Spoon batter into each mould of the pan, filling only to ⅔ of the way of each
- Lightly tap the pan to remove any air bubbles
- Place in the fridge for a further 30 minutes
- Bake in the oven for 11 to 13 minutes until golden brown
- Remove madeleines from moulds immediately and cool on a cooling rack until warm or room temperature
- Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve
Notes
A set of two Classic French shell-shaped madeleine pans, with 12 cups in each pan.
Made from heavy duty carbon steel to distribute heat evenly during baking, with a nonstick coating for easy releasing and cleaning.
Take your madeleines to the next level of flavours with this beautifully illustrated recipe book dedicated to the art and indulgence of these adorable little French cakes.
Experience a whole new dimension of madeleines with Dark Chocolate Espresso Madeleines, savoury appetizers like Pesto and Pine Nut Madeleines, and absolute showstoppers like Cheesecake Madeleines with Lingonberry Preserves.
