Though I love all
cookies equally, madeleines are the dainty French treat I hunt for at bakeries the most. The size of a cookie with the texture of a cake, baked into an adorable decorative shell? How could I not? Luckily for me, though they have a bit of a fussy reputation, these little butter cakes are actually super doable at home too, no travel required to get your fix. All you need is a madeleine pan, basic baking ingredients like butter and eggs, and a little patience, and you’ll be saying ooh là in no time. Here’s what you need to know:
What are madeleines?
Though the origin story of these little French pastries is a bit murky, what is clear is how you’ll find them at nearly every goûter, or French afternoon “snack time”. We can see why—with their delicate crumb (somewhere between a financier and pound cake), their light flavor, and their ease of portability, these are the perfect treat whether you’re sitting down to a relaxing café or eating them on-the-go. Though technically you could bake them in any pan (even a muffin tin would work), one of the main differences between madeleines and other desserts is their distinctive shell fluting. The other is their “hump”, the signature bump that is created by steam escaping as the chilled batter reacts to the heat of the oven.
How to make madeleines:
Speaking of batter, this one is made by whipping whole eggs and sugar until ribbony, folding them with sifted flour, then combining everything with melted butter. This method is referred to as the foaming method, and it’s used to incorporate air into the batter, creating lift and giving the madeleines a light, airy texture. Be gentle when incorporating the flour and butter so that the tiny pockets of air in the eggs stay intact. As the butter is folded in, it may look like it will never be incorporated. Be patient! Keep folding, and the batter will smooth out, I promise.
How to keep madeleines from sticking to the pan.
To keep your madeleines from sticking, use a pastry brush to brush each well in the pan with neutral oil (canola, vegetable, sunflower) and dust with flour until each well is fully coated in a thin layer. Tap off any excess flour and chill the pan for a few minutes in the freezer before adding the batter.
How to flavor and decorate madeleines.
This recipe uses browned butter and almond extract for extra nuttiness, and swaps traditional lemon zest for orange to add a pop of brightness and color. We also dipped some of our madeleines in melted white chocolate. Feel free to do the same, or change it up however you like.
Storage.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap baked madeleines individually in plastic and place them in a resealable container for up to 3 months.
Made these? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
Though I love all
cookies equally, madeleines are the dainty French treat I hunt for at bakeries the most. The size of a cookie with the texture of a cake, baked into an adorable decorative shell? How could I not? Luckily for me, though they have a bit of a fussy reputation, these little butter cakes are actually super doable at home too, no travel required to get your fix. All you need is a madeleine pan, basic baking ingredients like butter and eggs, and a little patience, and you’ll be saying ooh là in no time. Here’s what you need to know:
What are madeleines?
Though the origin story of these little French pastries is a bit murky, what is clear is how you’ll find them at nearly every goûter, or French afternoon “snack time”. We can see why—with their delicate crumb (somewhere between a financier and pound cake), their light flavor, and their ease of portability, these are the perfect treat whether you’re sitting down to a relaxing café or eating them on-the-go. Though technically you could bake them in any pan (even a muffin tin would work), one of the main differences between madeleines and other desserts is their distinctive shell fluting. The other is their “hump”, the signature bump that is created by steam escaping as the chilled batter reacts to the heat of the oven.
How to make madeleines:
Speaking of batter, this one is made by whipping whole eggs and sugar until ribbony, folding them with sifted flour, then combining everything with melted butter. This method is referred to as the foaming method, and it’s used to incorporate air into the batter, creating lift and giving the madeleines a light, airy texture. Be gentle when incorporating the flour and butter so that the tiny pockets of air in the eggs stay intact. As the butter is folded in, it may look like it will never be incorporated. Be patient! Keep folding, and the batter will smooth out, I promise.
How to keep madeleines from sticking to the pan.
To keep your madeleines from sticking, use a pastry brush to brush each well in the pan with neutral oil (canola, vegetable, sunflower) and dust with flour until each well is fully coated in a thin layer. Tap off any excess flour and chill the pan for a few minutes in the freezer before adding the batter.
How to flavor and decorate madeleines.
This recipe uses browned butter and almond extract for extra nuttiness, and swaps traditional lemon zest for orange to add a pop of brightness and color. We also dipped some of our madeleines in melted white chocolate. Feel free to do the same, or change it up however you like.
Storage.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap baked madeleines individually in plastic and place them in a resealable container for up to 3 months.
Made these? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
- Yields:
-
16
- Prep Time:
-
10 mins
- Total Time:
- 2 hrs
Directions
-
- Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until mixture is pale and tripled in size, about 10 minutes.
- Step 2Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter. Scrape bottom and sides of saucepan with a rubber spatula and continue to cook until milk solids start to brown and butter smells nutty and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour browned butter into a small, heatproof bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, whisking until melted and incorporated.
- Step 3Add orange zest and almond extract to egg mixture and beat until combined. Fold in dry ingredients 1/3 cup at a time, blending to combine after each addition. Pour browned butter over batter and fold until incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Step 4Preheat oven to 375°. Brush each well of a 16-mold madeleine pan with oil and dust with flour to coat. Tap off any excess flour and freeze pan 10 minutes.
- Step 5Place 1 heaping tablespoon batter in each well in prepared pan. Bake until edges turn golden brown and crisp, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then transfer madeleines to a wire rack and let cool completely. If you need to make these in 2 batches, let the pan cool completely before baking.
- Step 6In a small heatproof bowl, microwave chips (if using) in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip rounded end of cooled madeleines in chocolate and return to wire rack to set.
- Step 1
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