Classic French Madeleines
Tags: #french #patisserie #teacakes
Serving: 18 pieces
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Shell-shaped, lemon-scented sponge cakes with a tender crumb and the signature hump.
Ingredients
- 120 g unsalted butter (batter)
- 20 g unsalted butter (pan)
- 130 g all-purpose flour (batter)
- 10 g all-purpose flour (pan)
- 5 g baking powder
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 110 g granulated sugar
- 3 g lemon zest
- 15 g honey
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 100 g large eggs (about 2)
- 15 ml whole milk
- 15 g powdered sugar (optional, dusting)
Steps
- Melt 20 g butter for the pan.
- Brush a madeleine pan with the melted butter.
- Dust the pan with 10 g flour.
- Refrigerate the pan for 15 minutes.
- Cook 120 g butter over medium heat until nutty brown.
- Cool the brown butter to 25–30°C.
- Sift 130 g flour, 5 g baking powder, and 2 g salt into a bowl.
- Rub 3 g lemon zest into 110 g sugar.
- Crack 100 g eggs into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the lemon sugar, 15 g honey, and 5 ml vanilla to the eggs.
- Whisk the mixture to ribbon stage, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients to the bowl.
- Fold the batter gently until just combined.
- Stream in the cooled brown butter.
- Fold the batter until smooth and glossy.
- Stir in 15 ml milk.
- Cover the bowl.
- Refrigerate the batter for 60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
- Remove the prepared pan from the refrigerator.
- Pipe about 25 g batter into each cavity.
- Freeze the filled pan for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 220°C (425°F).
- Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (375°F).
- Bake for 4–6 minutes until domed and golden.
- Invert the pan onto a wire rack.
- Tap the pan to release the madeleines.
- Cool the madeleines for 5 minutes.
- Dust with 15 g powdered sugar.
- Repeat the filling and baking with remaining batter.
Notes
- For the signature hump, use a chilled pan, well-rested batter, and a hot initial bake.