Madeleines are a French butter cake or cookie that is, to many, emblematic of France and French culture, perhaps as a result of their association with French author Marcel Proust. Somewhat tricky to make, madeleines are traditionally baked in a specialized scallop shell pan. While madeleines can be made in different pans, such as a small muffin pan, the scalloped shape of the finished preparation is almost always used, both in France and in the United States. In addition to the plain base recipe presented here, madeleines can be made in flavors including chocolate, rose, vanilla, lavender, chocolate chip, and orange, and are sometimes finished with a sweet glaze.
Recipe Servings: 6
+ 30 minutes resting
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, plus another 2 Tbsp for the pan, melted
- Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Directions
- With a handheld or stand mixer, combine the eggs and sugar and beat together on high speed for at least 8 minutes, until the mixture forms ribbons when the beater is lifted.
- Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With a spatula or wooden spoon, fold the combined dry ingredients into the egg mixture; working with half the dry mixture at a time may be helpful.
- Add ½ cup of melted butter to a small bowl. Stir ½ cup of the batter into the melted butter, allowing the mixture to set for 1 minute to fully incorporate. Mix back in with the rest of the batter. The consistency should be thick and silky.
- Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, but no longer.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly brush the baking pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Spoon the now-spongy batter by generous tablespoonfuls into the center of each scalloped well; the batter does not need to be spread to completely cover the scallop but can be left clumped in the center. If necessary, cover and refrigerate the remaining batter until a second batch can be baked.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes. When the madeleines are done, the tops will spring back after being lightly depressed by a finger.
- Remove from the pan by inverting, and then transfer the madeleines to cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired and serve while still fresh for best texture.
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