pantry staple: basic madeleines recipe

I love making madeleines. To me, they are the French version of a butter cake. What can be better than these buttery goodness? Pretty and dainty, they are perfect with your coffee or tea, or as a snack on its own!

I love this recipe because it is not time consuming, It is also simple to follow. Unlike many recipes, it does not require you to chill the batter overnight. One tip: use quality butter! If possible, use the French variety available at the supermarket.

I made these mini madeleines in a  silicon pan I purchased from Pantry Magic in Hong Kong during my trip earlier this year. From time to time, I also bake them in my non-stick madeleine pan, which is larger. Unfortunately, I do not have  a cast-iron pan that the French typically use. And they would probably recoil in horror at this  :p I guess I have no choice but to settle for this until I get my hands on a legit cast-iron pan…

Madeleines can be tricky to make. Ideally, they should have a quintessential hump. They are done when the cakes feel just set when you poke them with your finger. Try not to overbake them!

On a side note, I will be heading to Paris in 3 days’ time with a very good girlfriend of mine. It’s going to be winter and beautiful there. I can’t wait to get inspired. Will update this space with our kitchen experiments in Paris, so check back for more!

Recipe (adapted from Eugenie Kitchen)

Ingredients:

• 65g or 1/2 cup and 1 tsp of confectioners’ sugar
• zest of fruit (I used lime. You can use orange or lemon)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp or 10ml of whole milk
• 65g or 1/2 cup and 1 tsp of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp or 2g of baking powder
• 65g or 5 tbsp of unsalted butter, melted and cooled until room temperature
• Extra confectioners’ sugar for dusting over the baked madeleines

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg, milk, sugar, zest, salt to blend. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, whisk or sift flour and baking powder.

4. Add in melted butter, beat until the batter is thick.

5. Fill madeleine moulds with batter, about 3/4 full.

6. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown and risen.

7. Let cool and transfer to wire rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if preferred.