Description

These Classic French Madeleines are buttery, tender, and perfectly sweet. With step-by-step instructions and lots of detailed information, you can easily make this French classic at home!

Ingredients

Scale

113 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
5 gm (1 teaspoon) vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
110 gm (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons for greasing pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, at room temperature
100 gm (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
15 gm (1 tablespoon) whole milk, at room temperature
Powdered sugar, for dusting

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Instructions

Before starting, be sure to read the recipe through in its entirety.
First, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; pour into a medium-sized heatproof bowl. Set aside 14 gm (1 tablespoon) for greasing the madeleine molds. Add the vanilla bean paste to the bowl of melted butter and stir to combine; set aside to cool slightly.
Next, prep the madeleine pans*. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons flour to the reserved 1 tablespoon melted butter and stir to combine. Using a pastry brush, brush 20 to 24 madeleine molds with the butter/ flour mixture, being sure to get into every nook and cranny. Place the prepared pans in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to bake the madeleines.
Sift the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, sift together 110 gm (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) flour and baking powder. Set aside.
Whip the eggs and sugar. Add the eggs, sugar, and kosher salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip until the mixture is pale, thickened and falls off the whisk attachment in a ribbon-consistency, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the mixer to low speed and add in the milk, mixing briefly to combine.
Alternate adding dry ingredients and butter. Beginning and ending with the sifted flour mixture, alternate gently folding in the flour and melted butter to the batter, stopping just when the ingredients are incorporated and being careful not to overmix or knock out too much air (**see my notes below on my folding technique). When you’re finished, the batter should have a glossy sheen to it with no pockets of flour or pools of butter remaining.
Chill the batter. Gently press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and place in the fridge for a minimum of 5 hours, up to overnight.
Bake the madeleines. 30 to 60 minutes before you’re ready to bake, place a baking sheet on the center oven rack and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Once the oven is preheated and you’re ready to bake, remove the batter and one of the chilled pans from the fridge. Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into the deepest part of each mold (I use a #60 cookie scoop for this); do not spread, smooth, or level off. Cover any unused batter and place back in the fridge for now.
Place the filled madeleine pan on top of the preheated baking sheet and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the madeleines are humped in the center, the edges are golden brown, and the madeleines are springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the molds for 1 minute before tipping out onto the lined baking sheet. Increase the oven temperature back to 400°F and repeat with the remaining batter and second madeleine pan.
Madeleines are best served immediately warm from the oven, or within 1 hour of baking. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Madeleines will dry out quickly, so if you don’t finish them all, keep leftovers in an airtight container for 1 day.

Notes

*If you only have one madeleine pan: Prep and chill the pan as directed in the recipe. After baking the first batch of madeleines, wipe out the molds and allow the pan to cool completely. Grease the molds again by brushing on a mixture of 1 tablespoon melted butter + 1 ½ teaspoons flour, then place in the freezer for 5 minutes before filling with batter and baking.

**Folding technique: When folding ingredients into the batter, you want to work gently, being careful not to knock out too much air from the lightened batter containing whipped eggs. To fold, use a rubber spatula and gently but deliberately move the spatula in a “J” motion, running the spatula down the middle and around the side of the bowl, being sure to get down to the bottom of the bowl; rotate the bowl 1/4 turn after each pass.

Serving and storage: Madeleines are best served immediately warm from the oven, or within 1 hour of baking. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Madeleines will dry out quickly, so if you don’t finish them all, keep leftovers in an airtight container for 1 day.