The Best Madeleines

Ingredients

• 115 g unsalted butter
• 15 g brown sugar
• 15 g honey
• 100 g white sugar
• 1 g salt
• 120 g all-purpose flour (Sifted)
• 4 g baking powder
• 3 large eggs (At room temperature)
• 0.5 lemon lemon zest (Zest of ½ lemon; approximately 1 g)
• 0.5 orange orange zest (Zest of ½ orange; approximately 2 g)
• nonstick spray (For the madeleine mold)

Steps

1. 1

   The day before baking, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the brown sugar and honey, and stir gently until the sugars dissolve into the butter. Remove from the heat and set aside briefly; the mixture should be fluid rather than boiling hot.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the white sugar, sifted flour, salt, and baking powder thoroughly so the leavening and salt are evenly distributed.

3. 3

   Add the room-temperature eggs to the dry mixture one at a time, mixing after each addition until incorporated. Continue until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.

4. 4

   Slowly pour the warm butter mixture into the flour-and-egg mixture while stirring continuously. Mix until the batter is smooth and glossy.

5. 5

   Add the lemon zest and orange zest, stirring until they are distributed throughout the batter.

6. 6

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the batter to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the batter until the next day.

7. 7

   The next day, preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Spray a madeleine mold thoroughly with nonstick spray, including the ridges and cavities.

8. 8

   Transfer the chilled batter to a piping bag, or use a small spoon to portion it into the prepared mold. Fill the cavities appropriately for their size without overfilling them.

9. 9

   Bake the madeleines for approximately 5 to 12 minutes, depending on the size of the mold. For mini madeleines, the source recommends about 4 minutes; larger madeleines may take about 11 minutes. They are ready when they have risen into a small rounded hump, the centers feel firm when touched, and the cakes remain light in color.

10. 10

    Remove the madeleines from the mold immediately after baking. Serve them warm. Do not overbake them: dark-colored madeleines will be dry and overdone.

Notes

The source says the recipe makes about 100 mini madeleines, while the author's larger mold produced 25. Baking time depends on mold size: approximately 4 minutes for minis and 11 minutes for larger madeleines, with a stated general range of 5–12 minutes. Madeleines are best eaten warm and remain fresh for a couple of days. Serve with coffee, tea, or milk.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• French pastry
• baked
• make-ahead
• breakfast
• tea-time
• vegetarian