Black Sesame Madeleines
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for details.
These Black Sesame Madeleines are wonderfully moist with a rich, nutty flavor. These mini cakes are decorated with sweet white chocolate which goes very well with the black sesame flavor.
Have you tried black sesame desserts before? Black sesame is a seriously underrated flavor for desserts. Its beautiful nutty flavor and roasted aroma add depth to desserts.
I love black sesame flavor, so I knew I wanted to create a recipe and came up with these Black Sesame Madeleines. They have that warm, nutty black sesame flavor with moist, soft, and fluffy crumbs. The gorgeous gray color is 100% natural, with no artificial food coloring.
I decided to decorate my Black Sesame Madeleines with white chocolate and roasted black sesame seeds. The black sesame provides a bitterness and comforting nuttiness that pairs so well with the sweetness and creaminess of the white chocolate. These Black Sesame Madeleines are a simple, delicate treat for any occasion from breakfast to afternoon tea!
What Is Black Sesame?
Black sesame is one of several varieties of sesame seeds and it gets its black color from its hull. Black sesame seeds have a stronger nuttier, bitter flavor compared to white sesame seeds which are milder with a sweeter tinge.
Ingredients You Need
- Unsalted butter. Using high-quality butter in madeleines is simply essential, even more so as the butter is what brings the flavor to them. For the best result, use European-style butter which has less water, higher fat content, and richer flavor. It will really make a difference here.
- Eggs. Make sure you use room-temperature eggs because they blend more evenly in batters.
- Castor sugar. You can also replace it with granulated sugar. I used castor sugar because it blends more easily than granulated sugar.
- Cake flour. Cake flour is ideal for baked goods with a tender texture due to its low gluten content. You can also use all-purpose flour to substitute cake flour.
- Black sesame powder. Black sesame powder is roasted black sesame seeds ground into a fine powder. If you don’t have the powder on hand, you can pulse the roasted black sesame seeds in a food processor. Just be careful not to overwork them or they will turn into a paste. You can find black sesame seeds and black sesame powder in Asian supermarkets and large grocery stores.
- Baking powder. It is an ingredient responsible for forming the madeleine’s hump.
- White chocolate. To decorate the madeleines. The sweet, creamy taste of white chocolate pairs very well with the Black Sesame Madeleines.
- Roasted black sesame seeds. For decor.
Choosing Madeleine Pan
You absolutely need one or two madeleines pans to make the signature scallop shape of the madeleines. You can find different madeleine molds made from metal or silicone. Metal pans are great for their excellent heat transfer. In addition, choose a non-stick pan so that the madeleines can be released easily from the pan.
Chill Your Batter to Get the Humps
The batter must be refrigerated for at least 1 hour or overnight. The purpose of this is to chill the batter which also thickens it. This is what creates the signature hump on the madeleines – the shock of the heat hitting the cold batter, and the thicker batter which allows the cake to rise faster. For the best result, I recommend refrigerating for 2 hours or more. The longer they are chilled, the taller the humps.
Baking Tips
- Temperature matters. Make sure you use room temperature eggs and slightly warm melted butter as written in the recipe.
- Rest the dough. To get the signature madeleine humps.
- Don’t overfill the molds. You should fill them about 80-90% full for the best result.
- Keen an eye on them as they bake. Madeleines are quick to bake. You only need 10-12 minutes to have them risen and golden brown
How to Serve Madeleines
If served plain, madeleines are best served warm, straight from the oven. You can make the batter ahead of time, then bake off fresh batches as needed.
If you plan to decorate them with chocolate, let the chocolate set and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. Refrigerating madeleines will cause them to get hard. They are best enjoyed with a cup of tea.
More Madeliene Recipes
- Vanilla Madeleines
- Chocolate Madeleines
- Lemon Poppy Seed Madeleines
- Pandan Coconut Madeleines
- Pistachio Madeleines With White Chocolate Shell
- Lemon Madeleines
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp (100 gr) unsalted butter, melted, at 40-50°C
- 2 (100 gr) eggs, room temperature
- 7 tbsp (90 gr) castor sugar
- 1/2 tbsp (10 gr) honey, optional
- 11 tbsp (85 gr) cake flour
- 3 tbsp (25 gr) black sesame powder
- 1 tsp (4 gr) baking powder
- 3 oz (85 gr) white chocolate, melted
- Roasted black sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add eggs, castor sugar, and honey. Using a whisk, mix them lightly for 3-4 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved.
- Sift in cake flour, black sesame powder, and baking powder. Whisk until well combined.
- Add melted butter and whisk until well incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and chill the batter for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400F/200°C. Grease a non-stick madeleine pan with butter. If you are not using a non-stick pan, grease the pan with butter and dust the wells with flour lightly.
- Remove the batter from the fridge. Using a spatula, mix to loosen the batter and remove the air bubbles.
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag and pipe the batter into the molds until 80-90% full. You can also alternatively spoon the batter into the molds.
- Place the filled madeleine pan into the preheated oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350F/180°C. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they have risen and golden brown.
- Remove madeleines from the pan immediately. Cool completely.
- Spoon the melted white chocolate over half of the hump side diagonally. Shake off the excess chocolate. Place the madeleines with the hump sides up. Sprinkle with roasted black sesame seeds.
- Let the chocolate set.
Soft, nutty, and delicious!