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Madeleines are small French cakes traditionally baked in shell-shaped molds and associated with French cuisine. They have a golden, slightly crunchy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. Madeleines can be steeped in tea, used as a base for tiramisu, or layered with custard and icing. To make them, melt butter, whisk eggs and sugar, fold in flour, and bake in a madeleine pan.
Madeleines are small French cakes, traditionally baked in shell-shaped molds and eaten like biscuits. They have been intrinsically associated with French cuisine, thanks to the writings of Marcel Proust. The small cakes are very popular in petit four selections and are excellent on their own. Many French-style cafes and bakeries carry madeleines, and they can even be made at home with the help of a madeleine pan.
The food is named after Madeleine Palmier, a French pastry chef who allegedly developed. Along with other petit fours, madeleines are part of the sponge cake family. When done right, they have a golden, slightly crunchy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. Many people prefer freshly baked madeleines that are still warm and slightly soft. Small cakes can also be wrapped and stored in airtight containers for up to a month, although they tend to acquire a slightly stale quality.
Typically, madeleines are steeped in tea. This is especially true with old and slightly stale madeleines, which are ideal for dipping. Some people also use the cookies as a base for tiramisu or layer them with custard and icing to turn them into actual pastries. Many bakeries make variations with lemon or poppy seeds for added flavor, and lemon madeleines are very popular.
To make the madeleines, melt a half cup of unsalted butter and let it cool. Sift together one cup flour, one-half teaspoon baking powder, and one-eighth teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, whisk three large eggs together with two-thirds of a cup of sugar until the dough is pale. Fold the flour into the eggs, being careful not to over-combine as this may cause the batter to collapse. Next, add a small amount of the egg mixture to the melted butter before folding the butter into the batter into three segments.
Place the batter in a buttered and floured madeleine pan and bake for about 12 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). The madeleines should be golden brown and slightly springy, and be careful not to overcook them, as they don’t look nice when they dry out. Remove the pan from the oven, slam it against a counter to release the cakes, and turn them out onto wire racks to cool. Allow the madeleines to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container lined with tissue paper or parchment paper.
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