Let Them Eat Madeleines
In true gallant fashion, these buttery, sugar-dusted madeleines have finally made their appearance! It only took me three maybe five years to break out the madeleine pans. I’m glad a few of my friends have pushed me to make these cake-let delights. And just like Ross in that scene from Friends, these really are “lighter than air…”.
I batched these as smaller pastries using two madeleine pans. But if you like a heartier madeleine, you can fill up one madeleine pan using the same recipe. These really do taste best right out of the oven, but my little trick to keeping them moist is a little lemon-milk-sugar mixture that will have you enjoying next day madeleines. Worst case scenario, they turn into little bricks and you have buttery sweet croutons to dip into your morning coffee. I kid… it would take a while to get them to biscotti level hardness. I like to heavily dust my madeleines with confectioners’ sugar. Toss any extra madeleines in a bag and tie them with ribbon and you’ve got a great gift for friends and family.
THE CLASSIC MADELEINE
makes 18-20 SMALL or 10 LARGE
ingredients + TOOLS
2 madeleine nonstick pans
pastry brush
cooling rack
flour sifter or fine mesh sieve
stand mixer or sturdy hand mixer
mixing spatula
plastic wrap
1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1 Tbsp melted butter for pan
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 lemon, juiced
4 Tbsp almond milk
1 tsp confectioners’ sugar, and extra for dusting
STEPS
Melt the 1/2 cup butter and set aside in a bowl to cool as you continue with the rest of the batter.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Using mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar together on high for 8-10 minutes. The mixture will be thick and form glossy ribbons when you lift the whisk.
Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla extract until combined.
Remove the batter from the stand mixer. The rest will be prepared by hand.
Take the flour mixture and gently fold in half of it into the batter by hand using a spatula or wooden spoon. After it is combined, fold in the other half of the flour mixture. The batter is delicate at this stage, so try and maintain the airy consistency of the batter.
Take a 1/4 cup of the batter and stir it into the melted butter until fully incorporated. Then take that butter/batter mixture and stir it back into the remaining batter until it’s thick and silky.
Using the plastic wrap, cover the batter and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. If the batter sits in the refrigerator for too long, the butter will start to solidify and it won’t bake correctly.
Preheat the over to 350 degrees.
Melt the tablespoon of butter and using the pastry brush, lightly brush the pans with butter. Use both pans for smaller madeleines and one pan for larger madeleines.
Take the chilled batter and spoon a generous tablespoon of batter into each well of the madeleine pan. Two tablespoons of batter per well if you are using one pan. Spread the batter just a bit so that it bakes evenly. It doesn’t have to go edge to edge.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. To test for doneness, the tops of the madeleines should spring back after being pressed lightly with your finger.
Take the pan and flip the madeleines over onto the cooling rack.
While they are slightly cooling, whisk the lemon juice, almond milk, and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl.
On the belly side of the madeleines (not the pretty scalloped side), brush the lemon/milk mixture over it. This helps keep the madeleines moist for longer shelf life.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve!
