Madeleines
Classic French madeleines are so simple to prepare — and, yet, so wonderful.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup super-fine almond flour (or replace with more all-purpose flour)
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Special Equipment
- Madeleine pan(s) or mini muffin pan
- Baking spray with flour, such as Pam Baking or Baker's Joy
Instructions
- Spray the madeleine or mini muffin pans (see note) with baking spray with flour. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, salt, and confectioners' sugar.
- In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the flour-sugar mixture to the eggs and whisk until the mixture is evenly combined. Add the melted butter, honey, and vanilla and whisk until the batter is smooth and thickened.
- Fill the pan(s): Transfer the batter to a large liquid measuring cup. Carefully pour the batter into the into the hollows of the molds so that they are almost completely full. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to firm up before baking. (If you only have one madeleine pan, the extra batter can be refrigerated in the liquid measuring cup or a separate container, and spooned into the mold once it is available; no need to refrigerate the batter in the mold again before baking.)
- About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Place a piece of parchment paper over a cooling rack (the parchment will prevent the rack from leaving indentation marks on the cakes).
- Bake one pan at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, until the madeleines are pale and firm to the touch on top and golden around the edges. (The bottoms brown more quickly than the tops, so keep the tops pale.) Remove the pan from the oven and let the madeleines cool in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a butter knife to lift up the edges, transfer the madeleines to a cooling rack, shell-side up, and cool for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the edges feel crisp. Serve warm, dusted with confectioners' sugar if desired.
- Madeleines are best served freshly baked, but leftover cakes can be stored on a plate in a single layer, loosely covered with foil, at room temperature for up to 1 day.
- Note: It's best to use a light-colored metal baking pan, as the madeleines darken quickly in a dark-colored pan. If a dark metal pan is the only option, start checking for doneness around 8 to 10 minutes.
- To Make Lemon Madeleines: Add 2 packed teaspoons lemon zest to the batter when you add the melted butter, honey, and vanilla. (You'll need two lemons.)
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (24 servings)
- Serving size: 1 cake
- Calories: 122
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 34 mg
- Cholesterol: 39 mg