Vanilla Madeleines

Have you ever dreamed of biting into a perfectly golden, buttery madeleine fresh from a Parisian bakery? Well, dream no more! These delightful Vanilla Madeleines are not only easy to make but will transport you straight to the streets of France with their delicate flavour and distinctive scallop shape.

The secret to making great Madeleines

Madeleines may look fancy, but they’re surprisingly simple to whip up. The key to achieving that signature hump and tender crumb lies in a few crucial steps:

1. Chilling the batter
2. Butter the pan and dust the pan with flour
3. Using the right amount of batter

They don’t take too long to make, but you need to start them early. A bit of fridge resting is required, but after doing this, they are easier to work with, and you end up with a lighter, softer Madeleine. Oh, and they are delicious.

Let’s get started with the ingredients for Madeleines

Nothing new here, all ingredients are easily sourced. You know me, I always say purchase the best you can afford, and you’ll have the best product at the end.

• Unsalted butter – Best for baking and cooking.  Take control of how much salt you want in your recipes. Use butter that doesn’t have water added on the ingredient list.
• Plain flour – plain or all-purpose flour because we’re adding the correct quantity of baking powder to give the right amount of lift.
• Baking powder – That’s baking powder, not bicarb.  Baking powder is a mixture of acid and alkaline, both of which have raising capabilities.
• Salt – salt gives flavour to your baked goods.  I prefer to use unsalted butter and use the amount of salt I require for the recipe.
• Caster sugar – Caster sugar or refined sugar is used for this recipe.  The size of the crystals will help create the right-sized bubbles in your batter. I prefer to buy it rather than make my own, so the crystal sizes are the same.
• Vanilla, either seeds or paste – I did use Queen Vanilla paste in this recipe.  I don’t make a vanilla paste by grinding up beans.  Myth Busted.
• Eggs – Extra large or Large is suitable for this recipe.  Each country has a different standard regarding weights.  If you crack your egg into a bowl and weigh it, it should be 50g – 55g.
• Icing sugar for dusting—icing or powdered sugar. Do this just before serving, or you may find that it disappears. Commercially, we use something called snow. It’s icing sugar (with other ingredients that we probably don’t need in our diets) that doesn’t melt when it comes into contact with moisture.

My recipe tips for making Madeleines:

First, you need to make sure your non-stick pan will really be non-stick. There is nothing worse than a smooshed (ugly) Madeleine. After melting your butter, use what’s left behind in your Thermomix or microwave container to brush into each little mould. Then dust over the top with a light dusting of plain flour. The next thing to do is put the tray in the fridge. Yep, do it. It will help keep the batter from melting into the dusted flour and butter, giving it an extra barrier to prevent sticking. Chef Tip 😉

The next tip is about the batter itself. The batter needs to be rested – 2 to 3 hours in the fridge to chill, as it will help you portion the batter into the tin and keep your Madeleine light and airy. This may seem a little weird because of the raising agents, but you should follow these steps for this recipe.

If you want to get adventurous and make the flavour more intense, there are many things you can do. One thing I like is to brown my butter. Browned butter is beautiful; the French even have a name for it. “Beurre noisette”. Toasting your butter like this, gives it a wonderful caramelised nutty flavour. Use this in your madeleines, and they’ll be even better. If you use a pot on the stove, you’ll need to closely monitor your butter. It’s like making ghee, but you take it one step further and brown the butter. Stop before you burn it, though. 🤪

When the Madelines come out of the oven, they should look like this. Those little domes prove that our Madeleines will be light and airy. If they’re flat, there’s something not quite right.

Some great questions from our readers

High tea game plan

• Day before: Make batter, cover with a cartouche/airtight lid, refrigerate.
• Day of: Prep and chill the butter-and-floured tin, bake, cool 2 minutes in the tray, then transfer to a lined rack; dust just before serving.
• If freezing: Bake ahead, freeze well-wrapped, then rewarm lightly before serving; still expect the best results from same-day baking.

Right, let’s Do It! Let’s make some Madeleines.

Vanilla Madeleines

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becs-table.com.au

Transport yourself to Paris with homemade Vanilla Madeleines. Learn tips for achieving the iconic hump and tender texture in this foolproof recipe.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Difficulty Easy

Course Afternoon Tea, Cake, Morning Tea, Snack

Cuisine French

Servings 12

Method Thermomix and Conventional

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Equipment

• 1 Madeleine Tray or use a mini cupcake will work too.
• 1 Thermomix or Stand Mixer

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 100 grams plain flour and a little extra for dusting your Madeleine tin
• 4 grams (3/4 tsp) baking powder Not bicarb
• 3 grams (1/2 tsp) salt
• 100 grams caster sugar or fine sugar works best
• ½ tsp 1/2 tsp of vanilla paste or seeds scraped from a vanilla bean
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 8 grams (1 Tbsp) icing sugar

Instructions

 

Thermomix Method:

• Place the small cubes of butter into the TM mixing bowl and melt 3 min/60°C/speed 1.
• Pour the melted butter out of the mixing bowl into a small jug or bowl and set aside.
• Using a pastry brush use some of the melted butter to brush onto the madeleine tray. You don’t need to use much butter here, I just pour out my butter and use what is remaining on the inside of my TM bowl. Brush each of the 12 little moulded sections.
• Then use a small sieve to dust a little plain flour over the butter to give a light dusting, tapping out any excess. Now place this tin in the fridge while you continue on with the batter.
• No need to clean out the bowl at this stage. Put your butterfly whisk in place.
• Weigh the caster sugar and eggs into the mixing bowl and whisk 5 min/37°C/speed 3.
• Weigh the flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla and reserved melted butter into the bowl then mix 10 sec/speed 2. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula then mix again 5 sec/speed 2. Pour this mix out into a smaller bowl or jug, cover and place in fridge to chill for 3 – 4 hours.
• When the batter has rested in the fridge for long enough, set your oven to 180°C. and allow 15 minutes for your oven to reach temperature before you portion out your batter and pop them in the oven.
• Take your madeleine batter from the fridge and give it a quick mix with fork.
• Fill your madeleine moulds 3/4 full with batter and bake on the centre rack of your oven.
• They should only take around 10 minutes, what you’re looking for is a slightly risen dome in the centre.
• Leave to cool in tray for 2 minutes then transfer madeleines to prepared wire rack.
• Dust the icing sugar over the madeleines just before serving. Best eaten immediately or on the same day. They will dry a bit as they sit and won't be as nice, but hey, I don't think anyone would knock one back. 😉

Stand Mixer Method:

• Place the small butter cubes into a microwave-safe bowl and melt using short bursts 20 seconds at a time and mixing in between. Once melted, remove and set aside.
• Using a pastry brush, brush some of the melted butter onto the madeleine tray. You don’t need to use much butter here. So you don’t use too much of the butter, use just the tip of your brush and brush the 12 little moulded sections.
• Use a small sieve to dust a little plain flour over the buttered moulds to give a light dusting, tapping out any excess. Now place this tin in the fridge while you continue with the batter.
• In a stand mixer add the weighed caster sugar and eggs and whisk for 8 minutes using the balloon whisk attachment.
• Weigh the flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla and reserved melted butter into the bowl, then mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with spatula in between if needed.
• Place this bowl or transfer into a smaller bowl or jug, cover and place in fridge to chill for 3 – 4 hours.
• When the batter has rested in the fridge for long enough, set your oven to 180°C, and allow 15 minutes for your oven to reach temperature before you portion out your batter and pop them in the oven.
• Take your madeleine batter from the fridge and give it a quick mix with fork.
• Fill your madeleine moulds 3/4 full with batter and bake on the centre rack of your oven.
• They should only take around 10 minutes, what you're looking for is a slightly risen dome in the centre.
• Leave to cool in tray for 2 minutes then transfer madeleines to prepared wire rack.
• Dust the icing sugar over the madeleines just before serving. Best eaten immediately or on the same day. They will dry a bit as they sit and won't be as nice, but hey, I don't think anyone would knock one back. 😉

Notes

Madeleines are best eaten before they cool completely or not long after they’re baked. They’ve been described to me by my French Pastry Chef boss as being little small puffs of sweet air. I like that, don’t you?