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–+ servings

Madeleines

5 from 1 vote
Dessert
Traditionally served at coffee or teatime (or whenever you need a hug in cake form), madeleines represent everything the French do best: elegance, simplicity, and just a little bit of buttery heaven.
Madeleines
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Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 12 madeleines

Ingredients 

  • 2 egg
  • 100 gr sugar
  • 20 gr honey
  • 100 gr unsalted butter
  • 100 gr plain flour
  • 3 gr baking powder
  • 1 squeeze lemon juice
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

Instructions

  1. 1. Prepare the egg mixture
    Crack the eggs into a bowl and add the sugar. Whisk until pale, thick, and a bit frothy, this gets those lovely air bubbles going.
  2. 2. Incorporate honey
    Add the honey to your egg and sugar mixture and mix it in well. You want the sweetness smooth and evenly distributed.
  3. 3. Melt and flavour the butter
    In a separate bowl, melt the butter. Mix in a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt, think of this as setting the stage for all that almondy, buttery aroma later.
  4. 4. Combine dry ingredients
    Sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the egg, sugar, and honey mixture. Stir gently until just incorporated.
  5. 5. Add the butter
    Pour your melted, lemony butter into the batter and fold through with care. Don’t overwork it, gentle hands make fluffy cakes.
  6. 6. Rest the batter
    Cover the bowl and let the batter rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This helps make that classic “hump”, the sign of a good madeleine!
  7. 7. Preheat and prepare your tray
    When you’re ready to bake, grease your madeleine tray with a bit of melted butter. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
  8. 8. Fill and bake
    Spoon the batter into your tray, filling each shell about three-quarters full (the mixture will rise). Bake for 3 minutes at 220°C, then reduce the oven to 200°C and bake for another 7 minutes until golden and slightly domed in the middle.
  9. 8. Cool and enjoy
    Pop them out of the Madeleines tray and, if you can resist, let them cool on a rack. The aroma alone makes it tough to wait, but the flavours come out better if you have some patience.

Notes

You can make a million different versions of madeleines and never be bored. While the classic recipe is charmingly plain, just buttery, light, and elegant, don’t let that stop you from experimenting.
Matcha: Fancy something a bit green and mysterious? Add a teaspoon of matcha powder for a gentle earthy twist and a colour that stops people in their tracks.
Chocolate: Feeling whimsical? Dip half the shell in melted chocolate and let it set for that café-pâtisserie vibe.
Lavender: For the flower-lovers, a hint of dried lavender in the batter brings a subtle Provençal aroma that transports you straight to sleepy village afternoons.
Poppy seeds: Tiny poppy seeds add a gentle crunch that pairs beautifully with citrus zest.
And experiment with decorations! Edible flowers, sprinkles, a quick drizzle of citrus glaze, go wild. The shell shape means every version looks stunning, and frankly, you’re only limited by your imagination (and whatever you find at the back of the cupboard).