French Madeleines

Delicate French sponge cakes with a soft crumb and a hint of lemon. These charming shell-shaped treats are best served warm, dusted with icing sugar. Developed with guidance from a French chef, the recipe delivers the traditional buttery flavour and signature “hump” that makes Madeleines so loved. Perfect for afternoon tea or as a light finish to any meal.

Instructions

1. 1

   Sift flour and baking powder together into a bowl to remove lumps and aerate.

2. 2

   Whisk eggs and sugar vigorously for 2 minutes until pale and foamy, or 1 minute on speed 6 using a hand mixer.

3. 3

   Add the flour mixture in 3 portions, gently whisking after each addition until combined.

4. 4

   Mix in salt, oil, milk, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest until just incorporated.

5. 5

   Fold in the melted butter gently with a spatula until smooth. Batter should be thin but able to leave faint ribbons on the surface.

6. 6

   Cover bowl with cling wrap touching the surface. Refrigerate overnight (minimum 6 hours) to allow flavours to develop and batter to firm up.

7. 7

   Next day, preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan) for at least 30 minutes so it is fully heated.

8. 8

   Transfer batter into piping bags fitted with a small round nozzle (0.7–1.2 cm wide), or snip the tip off. Batter can be kept refrigerated at this stage or frozen for up to 2 months.

9. 9

   Spray madeleine pan lightly with oil. Pipe batter into molds, filling almost to the top (just 1 mm from the rim).

10. 10

    Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden and risen with the traditional hump.

11. 11

    Unmold immediately, dust with icing sugar, and serve warm on a platter.

Recipe Notes

• Eggs – Room temperature eggs incorporate better into the batter. To warm up cold eggs quickly, place in a bowl of warm tap water for 5 minutes, dry, and use.

• Preheat oven – Ensure the oven has been preheated for at least 30 minutes. The signature hump forms from the contrast between chilled batter and hot oven heat.

• Recipe source – Developed with Chef Jean-Baptiste, tested thoroughly until the texture and rise matched traditional French standards.

• Storage – Best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers keep for 3 days in an airtight container. Gently rewarm before serving for best texture.

• Batter storage – Batter can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 2 months. Defrost before piping.

• Serving tip – Best served warm, dusted with icing sugar and paired with tea or coffee.

• Nutrition – Values given are approximate and calculated per individual Madeleine.