Browned Butter Madeleines

Madeleines on a table with a mug of tea and a tea towel.

Yield 16 madeleines

Madeleines are so light and there's nothing super fancy about them, making them the perfect pair for a late afternoon cup of tea or coffee. Madeleines are a traditional small cake that is baked in a shell-shaped pan. These small cakes have an identifiable hump in their centre, caused by the significant temperature difference between the batter and the oven.

Prep Time 20

Chilling Time 1

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 50

Calories 89kcal

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary

2 large eggs
100 g granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
100 g unsalted butter
75 g all-purpose flour sifted
25 g ground almonds sifted
1 tsp baking powder sifted
1 lemon zested

Equipment

Madeleine pans
Saucepan
Pastry brush
Mixing bowl
Whisk
Pastry bag

Instructions

In an oven heated to 325°F/162°C, roast the ground almonds in a baking sheet until golden brown and fragrant. Allow to cool.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Keep the butter on the heat until the milk solids turn golden brown. The process will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes, and the butter may sputter. When it is ready, it will smell like roasted nuts.
Reserve 75 grams of the butter. Using a pastry brush, brush the melted butter on the madeleine pan. Ensure that there are no spots that are untouched! Dust the pan with flour and set it in the freezer. Reserve the remaining butter to brush on the pan for the next batch.
In a bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to mix them together vigorously until frothy.
Add the remaining ingredients as well as the reserved 75 g of browned butter, and mix until just combined. Set aside in the fridge for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C for convection ovens.
Transfer the madeleine batter to a pastry bag and cut off the top of the bag.
Using the pastry bag, pipe the batter into the wells of the greased and floured madeleine pan. The batter should fill 3/4 of the well.
Place the pan in the middle of the preheated oven. After 3 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/175°C. Bake for an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool before unmolding the madeleines.
Repeat steps 7 and 8 until all the batter is used up, ensuring to grease and flour the madeleine pan between uses.

Notes

Unmolding the madeleines from the madeleine pan is the most painful part of the process. Making sure that you grease the pan well will help you unmold the madeleines.

Nutrition

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