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Authentic Madeleines Recipe
Commercy, France
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
There are not so many recipes that earned their place in the history of fine literature the way that did madeleines, a modest but nonetheless sophisticated dessert that evoked a wave of memories in Marcel Proust’s 1913 classic, In Search of Lost Time. Madeleine cakes come in the form of a seashell, are rather easy to make, and are usually served in the afternoon during tea-time. The traditional base for madeleines is génoise cake batter, characteristic of using whole eggs instead of separating egg whites from egg yolks. Most recipes include adding the lemon zest to accentuate the buttery taste, and older versions include adding rum, orange-flower infusion, and finely ground almonds to the mixture. The only piece of equipment needed for madeleines is a special mold which usually holds 12 openings, and the preparation time is up to 30 minutes — perfect when unannounced guests arrive.
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Cooking tips
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main ingredients
Since the basic recipe calls for ingredients most people have at home, the key is to have fresh eggs and the zest of organic, non-treated lemon. Part of the flour can be replaced with finely-ground almonds, which need to be boiled before grounding. Flour should be sifted in order to achieve a light texture, and powdered sugar is used for the same reason. -
technique
The only thing that is really necessary for madeleines is the madeleine mold which is usually made from tin, but ceramic versions are also available. Original madeleines weighed around 90g (3 oz), and modern madeleines are reduced to 25 to 30g (1 oz), so the baking time needs to be adjusted to the size of the molds and the madeleines themselves – until they turn golden yellow. It is strongly advised ... Read more
Recipe variations
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English Madeleines
Ready in 1h 35minThe following recipe has little to do with the original French madeleines but is a true classic in the UK, where it is usually served during tea time. English madeleines are usually baked in tall, cylindrical-shaped dariole molds, and are served coated in jam and desiccated coconut, with a glazed cherry on top.
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Commercy Madeleines
Ready in 1h 45minThis recipe was published by the Tourist Board of the town of Commercy, home to madeleines. Unlike most recipes, it combines three whole eggs and three additional egg yolks, and the orange-flower infusion is used instead of lemon zest. The original version suggests using sifted yeast instead of baking soda and does not insist on powdered sugar.
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Larousse Gastronomique's Madeleines
Ready in 1h 35minFeatured in the 2007 edition of the La Grande Larousse Gastronomique cookbook edited under the leadership of a renowned chef Joël Robuchon, the recipe for classic madeleines describes them as small sponge cakes and sticks to the usual ingredients. Unlike the Commercy recipe, where you need to add three additional egg yolks, this recipe calls for only one, and lemon juice is used instead of orange-flower infusion. If you don't have caster sugar, use regular granulated sugar instead.
English Madeleines
PREP 15min
COOK 20min
RESTING 1h
READY IN 1h 35min
The following recipe has little to do with the original French madeleines but is a true classic in the UK, where it is usually served during tea time. English madeleines are usually baked in tall, cylindrical-shaped dariole molds, and are served coated in jam and desiccated coconut, with a glazed cherry on top.
Ingredients
English Madeleines
100g (3.5 oz) caster sugar
100g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter, softened
100g (3.5 oz) self-rising flour
2 eggs
3-4 drops vanilla extract
6 tbsp red jam, sieved
60g (2 oz) desiccated coconut
5 glace cherries, halved
Preparation
1
English Madeleines
Step 1/8
Start the preparation by preheating the oven to 170°C/325°F, with the fan on. Butter the dariole molds.
Step 2/8
Place softened butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and mix until the two are well combined. One by one, add the eggs. If the mixture starts to become lumpy, add a small amount of flour.
Step 3/8
Blend in the vanilla extract and the flour. The mixture should achieve even consistency before moving on to the next step. If it is too dense, stir in a tablespoon of milk.
Step 4/8
Pour the batter into the buttered dariole molds so they are half full since it will rise during baking.
Step 5/8
Place in an oven and bake for 20 minutes. The madeleines should become golden and have a spongy texture when baked.
Step 6/8
Cool the madeleines and remove them from the dariole molds. If necessary, cut the bottom off so it is completely straight.
Step 7/8
Sieve the jam into one plate, and place the desiccated coconut on another. Roll the madeleines into the jam first, and then coat them with coconut: this is easiest to do if you insert a fork into the bottom of the madeleines.
Step 8/8
Place a halved cherry on top of each madeleine to decorate.
Other Variations
-
Commercy Madeleines
Ready in 1h 45minThis recipe was published by the Tourist Board of the town of Commercy, home to madeleines. Unlike most recipes, it combines three whole eggs and three additional egg yolks, and the orange-flower infusion is used instead of lemon zest. The original version suggests using sifted yeast instead of baking soda and does not insist on powdered sugar.
-
Larousse Gastronomique's Madeleines
Ready in 1h 35minFeatured in the 2007 edition of the La Grande Larousse Gastronomique cookbook edited under the leadership of a renowned chef Joël Robuchon, the recipe for classic madeleines describes them as small sponge cakes and sticks to the usual ingredients. Unlike the Commercy recipe, where you need to add three additional egg yolks, this recipe calls for only one, and lemon juice is used instead of orange-flower infusion. If you don't have caster sugar, use regular granulated sugar instead.
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