French Tart's Classic Madeleines: Madelines: Little Fluted Cakes

Submitted by French Tart

"These are one of my favourite French cakes; delicate little light sponge cakes, baked in special fluted trays and sprinkled lightly with icing sugar, so elegant, light and airy! Some are flavoured with vanilla extract only, whilst other recipes suggest using lemon or orange; my recipe uses a combination of vanilla extract and lemon. These are ideal served with afternoon coffee or with a glass of dessert wine after a meal, just as the French serve them. You can also dip the tips into melted chocolate, but I prefer mine to be a little more subtle - but it is up to you!"

 

• Ready In: 27mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 24 Madeleines
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 125 g icing sugar (5 ozs powdered sugar)
• 100 g plain flour (4 ozs)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 125 g butter, melted and cooled (5 ozs)
• icing sugar, for sprinkling

directions

1. 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.).
2. 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!
3. 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.
4. 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.

Reviews

[Miss Plumcake]

Lovely little teacakes. Made as instructed but browning the butter before cooling, adding 1/4 tsp finely chopped rosemary from my garden and letting the batter chill for 2 hours. Took 10 minutes in my nonstick dark metal mad pan.

 

[maria p.]

what a great recipe! one of the tricks is definitely beating the eggs and sugar, etc as recommended---i set my timer and walked away-perfect results! didn't have a lemon so i used orange zest in its place--really good!

 

[Yokomuko]

Wonderful! My hubby loves Madeline from Starbucks and he felt that these were better; finished all of them within a day. I doubled the measurements and they made 40 mini cupcake sized cakes. I realized that the first batch was much better than the second, note to self - bake immediately. Do not let the mixture sit out for too long. Will be making these again very soon.

 

[Elly in Canada]

OOOOH MY!!!! What delicious little treats! I made Madeleines for the first time and was pleasantly surprised at - how easy they were to prepare and how tasty they are! The vanilla and fresh lemon zest are a perfect combination! I have bought Madeleines before, but they pale in comparison to this recipe! I do not have a Madeleine pan; I used my paper baking cups in muffin tins and although the shape is different the taste and texture is great!! I highly recommend this recipe!! Thanks for posting FT!!

 

[anniesnomsblog]

These taste SO good! I've only ever made Madeleine's once before, but I should make them more as they're addictive! Perfect with a mug of coffee!