Last updated on December 14th, 2016
Apparently I’m on a French dessert kick. Last week, I deep-fried a batch of lovely Merveilles. And yesterday, I made a dozen Madeleines. Who wants to taste these adorable shell-shaped cakes?
Madeleines are shell-shaped, because they are baked, surprise-surprise, in a pan with shell-shaped depressions. I obtained my excellent quality Madelein pan for $15.00 at the kitchen-supply store. The same model is available from Amazon and other online sources.
The cakes begin their career as a génoise batter, which is indeed very easy to make. All you need is a couple of bowls, a whisk, and a spatula. Flavor the batter with lemon zest and rose water, as I did the other day, and you’ll produce the most extraordinary Madeleines in the world.
Note: In France, Madeleines are pronounced MAD-uh-lenn.
My step-by-step recipe:
First, tip some flour, baking powder, and salt into a small white bowl…
And whisk to combine.
Then grab a big blue bowl, and add just a wee bit of sugar. We only need a wee bit, because the lemon zest and rose water will contribute their own illusion of sweetness.
Now grab a perfectly handsome lemon, and zest it.
I hope you have a micro-zester. If not, you can order the gadget at the same time you order your Madelein pan. If I may be so bold.
Add the zest to the sugar…
And then, with your impeccably clean fingers, squish the two until the sugar becomes moist and fragrant.
Revel in the aroma, baby. Lemon-sugar smells exactly like sunshine.
Ain’t no sunshine in New York’s Hudson Valley today. In fact, would you like to see the view from my kitchen window?
Yep — it’s snowing. Again.
Next, add 2 large eggs…
And whisk them into the sugar. Whisk vigorously, until the eggs thicken and turn pale, and you feel that your arm will fall out of its socket — about 2 minutes.
Then beat in some pure vanilla extract…
And a healthy splash of rose water. Rose water — it must be food grade — is available from online sources, as well as kitchen supply stores and gourmet food shops. It has a gorgeous floral scent. To me, it recalls the antique damask rose.
Add the flour mixture, and gently fold it, with a spatula, into the wet ingredients. Keep folding until the flour disappears into the batter.
Now mix in one stick of melted, unsalted butter…
And a splash of cold, whole milk.
Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly atop the batter, and chill for 1 hour or overnight.
When you are ready to bake, place a baking sheet on the center rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Violently grab your Madelein pan, and either butter and flour the openings, or spray them with baking spray. Baking spray contains flour.
Scoop the batter into each opening, being careful not to fill them more than 3/4 full. (I overfilled mine. Boo-hoo.) You needn’t spread the batter — the heat of the oven will spread it for you.
Set the pan on the preheated baking sheet, and bake until the cakes turn golden around their edges, and a little bump forms on top of each Madelein — 11-13 minutes.
Then, using your fingers, slide each cake onto a cooling rack. When completely cool, Madeleines can be stored in a sealed plastic bag for up to 3 days at room temperature. Or, you can freeze them.
Now a life-altering decision must be made: Shall we dust the cakes with confectioners’ sugar — or glaze them?
I say glaze ’em, baby.
First, preheat the oven to 500°F. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, the juice of the lemon you previously zested, and a splash of rose water. The glaze should have the consistency of heavy cream. In other words, it must not be terribly thick.
Dip the bump-side of each cake into the glaze. Then return the cakes to a cooling rack set atop a parchment-lined baking sheet, and let them drain briefly.
Place the rack of cakes — still on their baking sheet — in the oven, and keep a close watch on things. When the glaze begins to bubble in 1 – 3 minutes, promptly remove the Madeleines and let them cool.
Either dusted with confectioners’ sugar or glazed as above, Madeleines are a pleasure to eat. Enjoy them with hot tea, iced champagne, or cold white wine.
The scent — especially if you glaze the treats — will knock your socks off!
Here’s the printable:
These highly perfumed shell-shaped cakes are a joy to eat. They are no trouble to make.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- The finely-grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon culinary-grade rose water
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Optional glaze:
- 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
- The juice of the previously zested lemon
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- Special Equipment: a standard-size Madeleine pan
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Press the sugar and zest with your fingers, until the sugar is moist and perfumed. Add the eggs, and beat vigorously with a whisk until the batter turns pale and thick — about 2 minutes. Then beat in the vanilla and rose water, followed by the melted butter and cold milk.Tip the flour mixture into the wet batter, and fold gently with a spatula until combined. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the batter, and let chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, place a baking sheet on the center oven rack. Preheat the oven to 400°F.Butter and flour the openings of the Madeleine pan, or spray them with baking spray. (Baking spray contains flour.) Then fill each opening 3/4 full with batter. Avoid overfilling, or your cakes will not achieve their true sea shell-shaped potential. Bake on the preheated baking sheet until little bumps appear on the surface of the cakes — 11 – 13 minutes. With your fingers, slide each Madelein onto a cooling rack.
- You can dust the cakes with confectioners’ sugar, or give them a shimmering glaze. If glazing the cakes, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 500°F. Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and rose water in a medium bowl. The mixture must be perfectly smooth, and no thicker than heavy cream. Dip the bump-side of the cakes into the glaze, and then let them drain on a rack set atop the parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the cakes — still on their rack and baking sheet — into the oven. When the glaze begins to bubble in 1-3 minutes, promptly remove the Madeleines and let them cool.Serve warm or at room temperature. The cakes can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag. Or, you may freeze them for longer storage.
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Kristin says
I gaze longingly at the madeleine pans every time I am at my kitchen supply store…I think I will have to buy one. Isn’t lemon sugar the best smell in the whole world? I never thought about the sunshine, but you’re right! And adding rosewater? Yum!
Andi Stewart says
Love these wonderful versatile pieces of heaven — I’ve made them adding dried sweet cherries, cranberries, lime, lemon, lavender and now I must try the rosewater!
Susan says
kevin, have you ever done a recipe for macarons? The French bakery kind?
gina gillispie says
well I’ll be dern….my hubs just purchased a Madeleine pan…actually a silicone one, for himself and you know? tis the season….for a man to make Madeleines for his lover’s block party next week…and now it’s all coming clear to me…our 17th anniversary IS next week…I bet he bought that pan with just that thought in mind…me..not the party! and I’m with you…I say glaze baby glaze! I will print your friendly recipe and tuck it in the Madeleine pan drawer.
Faye says
I used to buy these when I lived in Spain years ago and have wanted to duplicate the memory of their delectable flavor. Thank you for translating the name for me of these wonderful gems and providing a recipe.
Lin says
When I lived in Maryland I had a massive blush damask rose. Once a year it made the whole yard smell of rose water & it was the favorite waiting spot for a flock of cardinals waiting their turn at the black oil sunflower seed feeder. Memory says make these delicate beauties. Thank you.
Harriette Chandler says
Love the sight from your kitchen window!!
Looks like Christmas morning!
Merry Christmas Kevin, friend and Lilly
Joan C says
Just returned from the Latham, NY Marshall’s where I found a heavy duty non-stick Madeleine pan for $6.99. There’s 1 left if anyone is in the area and so inclined!
Cillia says
I made your Madeleines for a party yesterday, and they were a big, bit hit! Love the combination of lemon and rose!!! (Yes, I glazed the cakes.)
Brooklyn Bob says
Wish I lived in Latham, NY like Joan C in comment #8. Off to buy a madeleine pan from Williams Sonoma, where I will probably pay much more than $6.99!
Sherry says
For Brooklyn Bob: The heavy duty non-stick pan at WS is $25. Kevin’s pan (non-stick Chicago Metallic, I think) is only $11.99 over at Amazon.
Brooklyn Bob says
Thanks, Sherry!
Stacy says
Kevin, I love your recipes, and the way you write them!
Laura says
Kevin, those look wonderful. Just a question, though – why, when you took the picture didn’t you turn them all up so we could see the ridges? There is one tucked underneath that is turned so ridges show and it looks really nice. I was just wondering if there was a special reason like the ridges disappear when stuck back in the oven for the glaze, or this is the way they are usually seen – something like that. Just askin’.
Jennifer says
Darn! I do not own this specialty pan, nor do I have room to keep it. I may have to give up a muffin tin to make room. My daughter LOVES these. They are her favorite sweet treat. Is is possible to make these in a different sort of pan? Maybe a mini-muffin tin? I know, heresy, but necessity being the mother and all that.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Laura – I photographed most of the cakes with their ridge-side down so that the glaze would be on view. Otherwise, the ridges do not disappear after a second sojourn in the oven.
Hi Jennifer – I haven’t tried this, but I suspect you could make the cakes in a mini muffin tin. (I know what you mean about storage space. My Madelein pan and several newly-acquired Bundt pans are hanging from hooks on a wall in my kitchen!)
Maria says
Yeah! I found rose water at my health food store. It smells SO good! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
500 degrees ?!?!?!?!?!? Yow.
These look very elegant. Thanks again Kevin!
Tiffany says
Lovely Kevin. Could you not glaze the ridged side instead of the bump side? Gotta make these.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
to you and your entire family (which includes Lily, of course)
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Beverly – The high (500°F) temp permits the glaze to melt into the cakes without further baking them. My glaze melted in only 1 minute.
Hi Tiffany – You could glaze either side. Merry and Happy to you and yours, too!
LynnB says
I have just made a batch of these. I found the mixture made18, which is a jolly good thing as I can’t stop eating them. They are a masterpiece – so delicious. Thank you.
Mark Coopersmith says
Hi Kevin,
I always have rose water handy for my baklava. Do you think I can use something else besides a madeleine pan or is it an essential item?
Andrea says
Thank you, Kevin! When I make these, they are so good they never make it to glazing! I use a tradition pan like you, tho my friend uses a silicone madeleine pan and loves it.
María Elena says
Kevin, I want to make this for our first “house showing “ Thursday. It sounds like the rose water will add lovely fragrance. My question is: can I use a mixer instead of beating by hand? Have shoulder pain) Hope they help to sell the house- Lol
Elaine says
Hi Kevin! Jusr wanted you to know that I made these for Christmas and they came out wonderful! They are so fragrant ~ and I glazed them, too. Thank you for the recipe!
Happiest of Holidays to you & Mr Fox!
)))hugs(((
E