Madeleines are small sponge cakes traditionally baked in shell-shaped molds and eaten like cookies. These little cakes originated in France. Madeleines are often eaten warm in French markets with a coffee in the morning or with afternoon tea.
This is Day 9 of our Festive Christmas Ideas Blog Hop!
Welcome back to year 6 of our Festive Christmas Event where we team up with a bunch of talented blogging friends to bring you a plethora of creative ways to celebrate your holiday season. We will be baking some cookie recipes for you, sharing some party games, making some handmade gifts, doing some ornament crafting, and sharing our Christmas movies family fun. There will be breakfast recipes and as always our decorated Christmas Trees which is always a fun tour of homes. New this year is Gift Guides. We are right there with you shopping from home due to Covid 19 and we understand how hard that can be so we have been busy little Elves doing tons of research to create fabulous Gift Guides to help you with your holiday shopping. You will find new ideas every Monday and Wednesday between Oct. 19th through Nov. 18th. Scroll all the way down to find all the ideas linked at the end.
On to the Madeleines…
To make Madeleines in their shell-shape, you need a special pan. The one I have had for many years is tin. There are now non-stick pans, which will make it even easier to create these little cakes. You can find a five star rated pan ◄ here.
Most people refer to Madeleines as cookies but they are actually tiny cakes. The traditional recipe for madeleines is for plain, delicate sweets. However, there are many variations. They can be sprinkled with powdered sugar, dipped in chocolate, dipped in thin icing, or splashed with flavored liqueur, as in this recipe.
Madeleines
Makes about 18 Madeleines
Ingredients
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup flour (sifted)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter – melted and cooled
- Grand Marnier liqueur
- Powdered Sugar for dusting
Directions
Combine the eggs and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, slowly and gradually, beat in the sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time until the mixture is thick and light in color, incorporating as much air as possible. This will take whisking for at least 5 minutes.
Fold the sifted flour into the egg mixture a couple of Tablespoons at a time. Be gentle with this process. Remember, this batter is very delicate.
Then, gently fold in the butter a couple of tablespoons at a time. Place the batter in the refrigerator for at least an hour and a half.
Prepping The Pan
Prepare the pan ► Grease and flour or use this simple technique to make a non-stick pan release. I like the idea of using this butter and flour mix because the butter helps with browning around the edges of the shell shape.
Just add 1-1/2 Tablespoons of melted butter and 1 Tablespoon of flour and brush into the wells of the Madeleine pan.
After refrigerating the batter, it will be spongy. Don’t worry and don’t stir up the batter! Just spoon one rounded Tablespoon of batter into the middle of each of the Madeleine shells. Don’t worry about spreading the batter. It will spread during baking. Bake 10 – 12 minutes. The top should spring back when touched lightly with a fingertip. Don’t overbake!
Finishing The Madeleines
Remove from the oven and turn the madeleines out onto a rack to cool completely. If they don’t fall right out, gently use a knife to loosen the little cakes. It won’t take much.
Then, pour a little of the Grand Marnier into a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each little cake with the liqueur. Dust with powdered sugar. You can dip the rounded ends in melted chocolate but my family prefers them just dusted with powdered sugar. These are so light and delicious!
How To Make Madeleines - Sweet Holiday Temptations
Madeleines are small sponge cakes traditionally baked in shell-shaped molds and eaten like cookies. These little cakes originated in France. Madeleines are often eaten warm in French markets with a coffee in the morning or with afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- Madeleines
- 2 eggs
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup butter - melted and cooled
- Grand Marnier liqueur
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°
Directions
Combine the eggs and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, slowly and gradually, beat in the sugar until the mixture is thick and light in color, incorporating as much air as possible. This will take at least 5 minutes.
Fold the sifted flour into the egg mixture a couple of Tablespoons at a time. Be gentle with this process. Remember, this batter is very delicate.
Then, gently fold in the butter a few tablespoons at a time.
Place the batter in the refrigerator for at least an hour and a half.
Prepare The Pan
Prepare the pan ► Grease and flour or use this simple technique to make a non-stick pan release. I like the idea of using this butter and flour mix because the butter helps with browning around the edges of the shell shape.
Just add 1-1/2 Tablespoon of melted butter and 1 Tablespoon of flour and brush into the wells of the Madeleine pan.
Remove the cake batter from the refrigerator and spoon one rounded Tablespoon of batter into the middle of each of the Madeleine shells. Don't worry about spreading the batter. It will spread during baking.
Bake 10- 12 minutes. The top should spring back when touched lightly with a fingertip. Don't overbake!
Finishing The Madeleines
Remove from the oven and turn the madeleines out onto a rack to cool completely. If they don't fall right out, gently use a knife to loosen the edge of the little cakes. It won't take much.
Then, pour a little of the Grand Marnier into a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each little cake with the liqueur.
Dust with powdered sugar.
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Want to make these in advance? Although they are best warm right out of the oven, you can bake, cool completely, and freeze in an air-tight container for up to 2 months in advance. Remove the little cakes from the freezer, place on a cookie sheet pan, and bake at 350° for 2-5 minutes. Then, dust with powdered sugar or dip in icing or melted chocolate, and serve.
Check out our previous Festive Christmas posts ► How To Decorate A Stunning Christmas Tree ► Christmas Movie Marathon ►One of a Kind Christmas Ornaments ► Switch Steal Unwrap Gift Exchange ►How To Easily Make Farmhouse Christmas Ornaments.
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How To Make Madeleines – Sweet Little Holiday Temptations
You had me at French, strong coffee, and Grand Marnier! I’ve had the dense cookie version but not the fluffier cake version. They sound so wonderfully decadent!
Lol! They are so light and tender, Marie. They definitely go well with coffee!
I remember seeing these in the fancy department stores to give as gifts. I love them, but I’ve never had them warm. Totally want to try it.
I’ve had these from bakeries before and they were not so light and airy. Freshly baked, these are. Thanks for stopping by, Erlene!