Vanilla Madeleines
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These delicate and buttery Vanilla Madeleines are soft and light in texture but have slightly crisped edges that are absolutely delightful. They will float into your mouth and are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee.
I am so proud to be sharing my Vanilla Madeleines recipe with you today. After several madeleine failures, I finally get the recipe perfected and you will not believe how easy they are.
Madeleines or also known as French butter cakes are easily-recognizable with their signature scallop shapes. A better description of a madeleine is a cross between a cookie and a cake because they have a crisp edge, yet light, and tender, with a cake-like crumb inside.
The recipe is not actually difficult, but they do demand your patience and precision. It is important that you follow the recipe to achieve the perfect Vanilla Madeleines.
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.
- Honey. It helps keep the madeleines moist and makes them taste more flavorful.
- 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.
- Baking powder. It is an ingredient responsible for forming the madeleine’s hump.
Choosing Madeleines 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 release easily from the pan.
Baking Tips
- Temperature matters. Make sure you use room temperature eggs and slightly warm melted butter as written in the recipe.
- Rest the dough. 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.
- Don’t overfill the molds. You should fill them about 80-90% full for the best result.
- Keep 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
Madeleines are best served warm, straight from the oven. You can make the batter ahead of time, then bake off fresh batches as needed. They are best enjoyed with a cup of tea.
More Madeleine Recipes
- Lemon Madeleines
- Lemon Poppy Seed Madeleines
- Chocolate Madeleines
- Pistachio Madeleines with White Chocolate Shell
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp (100 gr) unsalted butter, melted, at 40-50°C
- 2 (100 gr) eggs, room temperature
- 6 1/2 tbsp (80 gr) castor sugar
- 1/2 tbsp (10 gr) honey, optional
- 13 tbsp (100 gr) cake flour
- 1 tsp (4 gr) baking powder
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 and baking powder. Whisk until well combined.
- Add in 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. They are best served warm. You can also store them in an airtight container for up to two days.
