Tiramisu Madeleines
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for details.
All the flavors of tiramisu in Tiramisu Madeleines. They are made up of bite-sized chocolate coffee sponge cake, filled with boozy mascarpone cream, and a dusting of cocoa powder on top.
Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts and these Tiramisu Madeleines come pretty close! It is like if you marry Italian tiramisu and French madeleines and you get the best of both worlds.
They have all the components that you love about tiramisu – coffee flavor, soft sponge cakes, mascarpone cream, and cocoa powder dust, making them taste like a delicious piece of tiramisu.
These delicious Tiramisu Madeleines are full of flavor. They have chocolate and coffee flavor in every bite, and the rich, creamy mascarpone filling with a dash of Kahlua emulates the mousse-like layers in a traditional tiramisu. A generous sprinkle of cocoa powder is a decadent finishing touch.
Components and Ingredients
Chocolate Coffee Madeleines
- 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.
- Instant coffee. It adds coffee flavor to the madeleines.
- Hot water. To dissolve the instant coffee.
- 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.
- Cocoa powder. It adds depth and richness to the madeleines. It also contributes to the distinctive color of the madeleines, enhancing their visual appeal.
- Baking powder. It is an ingredient responsible for forming the madeleine’s hump.
- Salt. To taste.
Mascarpone Cream Filling
- Mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese, known for its rich, silky-smooth texture and slightly sweet flavor. It is a staple in tiramisu.
- Confectioners’ sugar. To sweeten the mascarpone cream.
- Heavy whipping cream. To thin the mascarpone cream and make the filling rich and creamy.
- Coffee liqueur. This recipe calls for coffee liqueur because it enhances the coffee flavor. I used Kahlua liqueur, but you can also use other liqueur, such as Marsala wine, rum, brandy, or Amaretto. And if you don’t want to add alcohol, just simply omit the liqueur.
- Cocoa powder. For dusting the top of the madeleines.
Choosing Madeleines Pan
You need one or two madeleine pans to make the signature scallop shape of the madeleines. Consider these things when you buy the madeleine pans:
- Shape. Madeleines are traditionally baked in shell-shaped molds, and the concave, shallow shape directs the batter upwards as the madeleines bake.
- Cavity depth. You want to be sure that the wells are deep enough to produce madeleines with that distinctive hump they are known for.
- Material. You can find different madeleine molds made from metal or silicone. I strongly recommend metal pans. They 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.
How to Fill the Madeleines
You need to make holes in the humps of madeleines using a seed remover tool, small paring knife, or round piping tip about 0.6-inch/1.5 cm in diameter and two-thirds of the way down. Pipe the filling inside the holes until it seeps out from the holes. Dust the madeleines with cocoa powder to cover the filling.
Baking Tips
- Temperature matters. Make sure you use room temperature eggs and slightly warm melted butter as written in the recipe.
- Rest and chill 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
- Don’t overmix the filling. Mascarpone can be a little finicky. Don’t overmix the mascarpone or the filling will get lumpy or start to split.
- Fill the madeleines when ready to serve. The mascarpone cream filling needs to be chilled and should not be left out at room temperature for an extended period. It is recommended to keep the filling in the fridge until shortly before serving if possible. The cream can get melty depending on how warm the environment is.
Storage
As madeleines are such small cakes, they can become dry relatively fast. Madeleine should be enjoyed as close to baking them as possible for the best result.
The chocolate coffee madeleines can though be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Keep the mascarpone filling in the fridge for up to 2 days. Fill and dust the madeleines right before serving.
More Madeleine Recipes
- Pistachio Madeleines with Pistachio Ganache
- Chocolate Madeleines
- Lemon Madeleines
- Black Sesame Madeleines
- Pandan Coconut Madeleines
- Rose Madeleines
- Pistachio Madeleines with White Chocolate Shell
Ingredients
Chocolate Coffee Madeleines
- 7 tbsp (100 gr) unsalted butter, melted, at 40-50°C
- 2 (100 gr) eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 gr) castor sugar
- 2 tbsp (6 gr) instant coffee
- 1 tbsp hot water
- 13 tbsp (100 gr) cake flour
- 2 tbsp (10 gr) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp (4 gr) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Mascarpone Cream Filling
- 3 oz (85 gr) mascarpone cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp (7 gr) confectioners' sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 gr) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp (10 gr) Kahlua coffee liqueur, optional
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
Chocolate Coffee Madeleines
- In a small bowl, add instant coffee and hot water. Mix until the coffee is fully dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add eggs and castor sugar. Using a whisk, mix them lightly for 3-4 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add coffee mixture and whisk until well incorporated.
- Sift in cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Add in melted butter and whisk until well incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 370℉/190℃. 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.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they have risen.
- Remove madeleines from the pan immediately. Cool completely.
Mascarpone Cream Filling
- In a medium bowl, add mascarpone cheese. Sift in confectioners' sugar and mix with a spatula until well incorporated.
- Add heavy whipping cream and coffee liqueur. Mix until combined.
- Chill in the fridge until using it.
Assemble
- Use a seed remover tool, small paring knife, or round piping tip to cut 0.6-inch/1.5 cm circles into the humps of the madeleines and create holes about two-thirds of the way down.
- Remove the filling from the fridge and stir with a spatula to loosen it.
- Insert a star tip into a piping bag. Transfer the filling into the piping bag. Fill the holes you have created in the madeleines with mascarpone cream until it seeps out from the holes.
- Dust the top of the madeleines with cocoa powder.
Delicious and so creative!