Madeleines

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: ~1 hour 30 minutes (includes chilling)

Servings: 18 madeleines

Country of Origin

France (Commercy)

Description

Small, delicate shell-shaped sponge cakes popularized by literature. They have a light, buttery texture, crisp edges, a distinct signature hump on the back, and a beautiful hint of lemon zest.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Served fresh and warm out of the oven, often dusted with a snowfall of powdered sugar. They are famously dunked into hot tea or coffee.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs (room temperature)

• 100g granulated sugar

• 120g all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp lemon zest

• 110g unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

• 1 pinch of salt

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Whip Eggs: Whip eggs and sugar together at high speed for 5 minutes until pale, thick, and ribbon-like.

2. Dry Ingredients: Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold into the whipped egg mixture.

3. Incorporate Butter: Fold in the lemon zest and melted butter until just combined. Cover and refrigerate the batter for at least 1 hour.

4. Chill Tray: Grease a shell-shaped madeleine pan and chill it in the freezer.

5. Fill: Drop a dollop of cold batter into the center of each shell mold. Do not spread it out.

6. Bake: Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 9–11 minutes until the cakes puff up into their signature humps and the edges are golden. Turn out onto a wire rack immediately.

Optional

• Glazes: Dip the shell ridges into a simple lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze, or melted dark chocolate.

Cooking Tips

• The Hump Trick: The famous madeleine hump is caused by a temperature shock. Ensure your batter is cold and your baking tray is freezing cold when it hits the hot oven.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving)

• Calories: ~95 kcal

• Total Fat: 6g

• Saturated Fat: 3g

• Cholesterol: 40mg

• Sodium: ~45mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 9g

• Dietary Fiber: 0g

• Sugars: 5g

• Protein: 1g