Madeleines

Method

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1. Melt the butter over medium heat and keep cooking until it foams, then subsides, and the solids at the bottom turn hazelnut brown, about 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl, scraping in the solids, and cool to lukewarm.

   Mark done Start 5 min timer

2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and honey for 4 minutes until pale, thick and holding a ribbon.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

3. Sift over the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in gently with a spatula until barely combined.

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4. Fold in the browned butter, lemon zest and vanilla in three additions until the batter is glossy and homogeneous.

   Mark done

5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. This rest is not optional — it is what gives you the hump.

   Mark done

6. Butter and flour a 12-hole madeleine tin thoroughly, then chill the tin too. Heat the oven to 210°C / 410°F.

   Mark done

7. Spoon cold batter into each shell, filling three-quarters full. Do not spread it; it will find its own level in the heat.

   Mark done

8. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are browned and the humps have risen and spring back. Turn out immediately onto a rack, dust with icing sugar and eat while warm.

   Mark done Start 9 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Butter and flour the tin even if it is non-stick. The ridges of the shell are unforgiving.
• Batter can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, so you can bake a fresh half-dozen whenever you want them.
• Dip half of each cooled madeleine in melted dark chocolate for the classic pâtisserie finish.

Pairing Suggestions

• Lime blossom tea, as Proust had them
• Strong espresso
• A glass of chilled Sauternes

Storage & Reheating

They are genuinely best within an hour. They keep 2 days in an airtight tin but lose the crisp edge; freeze for 1 month and refresh at 160°C / 320°F for 4 minutes.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.