Best Classic French Madeleines Recipes

FRENCH TART'S CLASSIC MADELEINES: MADELINES: LITTLE FLUTED CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C /375°F/ Gas mark 5. Grease and flour 24 Madeleine moulds. (Make sure that you grease and flour the moulds generously, to stop the cakes sticking.).
• In a medium bowl beat eggs, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and satiny. It can take up to 10 to 15 minutes to achieve the right consistency - this is the key to successful Madeleines, so don't take short cuts with this stage!
• Sift together the flour and baking powder. Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, gently fold together. Fold in the remaining flour by fourths. Then fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into the prepared moulds, filling 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the tops spring back. Cool in moulds on a rack for 1 minute. Loosen with a knife. Invert onto a rack and cool. Sift icing sugar over the tops or melt plain chocolate and dip the tips in the chocolate. Store in an airtight container.

CLASSIC FRENCH MADELEINES

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder.
• 2. Prepare the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together salt, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla until mixture is frothy.
• 3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.
• 4. Add melted butter. Stir until combined and batter is smooth. Do not over stir.
• 5. Cover batter bowl with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour and up to overnight.
• 6. Prepare the pan(s). Spray pan(s) with butter spray. Place in freezer for at least one hour. Note: if you do not have a nonstick Madeleine pan, melt 3 tbs butter, whisk in 1 tbs flour and brush the molds with the mixture.
• 7. Preheat oven to 350. Remove the pan(s) one at a time from the freezer. Fill each mold with teaspoonful of batter. Place Madeleine pan(s) on a baking sheet for easier handling. Bake for 8 minutes. Rotate pan(s) and bake approximately five minutes longer depending on your oven. Madeleines should be nicely browned around the edges and springy to the touch.
• 8. Remove Madeleines from oven and let rest for two minutes. Using a fork if necessary, gently slide the Madeleines from the pan and let them cool on a clean dish towel. If using pan for another batch, respray with butter spray and place back in freezer for one hour. Sprinkle Madeleines with confectioners sugar before serving.
• 9. Madeleines are best eaten the day of baking or within 24 hours at the most. They can be frozen for up to two months. Double wrap in plastic wrap. Wait to sprinkle with confectioners sugar until thawed.

FRENCH TART'S CLASSIC MADELEINES: MADELINES: LITTLE FLUTED CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C /375°F/ Gas mark 5. Grease and flour 24 Madeleine moulds. (Make sure that you grease and flour the moulds generously, to stop the cakes sticking.).
• In a medium bowl beat eggs, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and satiny. It can take up to 10 to 15 minutes to achieve the right consistency - this is the key to successful Madeleines, so don't take short cuts with this stage!
• Sift together the flour and baking powder. Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, gently fold together. Fold in the remaining flour by fourths. Then fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into the prepared moulds, filling 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the tops spring back. Cool in moulds on a rack for 1 minute. Loosen with a knife. Invert onto a rack and cool. Sift icing sugar over the tops or melt plain chocolate and dip the tips in the chocolate. Store in an airtight container.