Lemon Madeleines
Light, shell-shaped French cakes with a buttery lemon aroma and a delicate dusting of sugar. Brilliant with tea or as a dainty pud.
Madeleines are tiny, shell-shaped sponge cakes that smell faintly of butter and lemon — the kind of thing the French pull from a tin and present with a wink. They’re indulgent but deceptively simple: the secret is temperature and a gentle hand.
Make these when you want something elegant and not fussy for afternoon tea, brunch or to fancy up pudding. Chill the batter and blast them in a hot oven for that trademark hump — it’s worth the wait.
Ingredients
- 3 free-range eggs
- 150 g caster sugar
- 150 g plain flour
- 5 ml baking powder
- fine sea salt — pinch
- 150 g unsalted butter — melted; some reserved for greasing the tin
- 1 lemon — zest only
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 15 ml whole milk
- 10 g icing sugar — for dusting
Equipment
- 12-hole madeleine tin
- electric whisk or hand whisk
- sieve
- cooling rack
- pastry brush
Instructions
Melt the unsalted butter gently in a small saucepan over a low heat or in short bursts in the microwave. Leave to cool slightly while you work — it should be warm, not hot.
In a large bowl whisk the free-range eggs with the caster sugar until the mixture is very pale and thick — about 5–7 minutes with an electric whisk (aim for a ribbon that holds briefly).
Fold in the vanilla extract and the lemon zest to the egg mixture until evenly distributed.
Sift the plain flour and baking powder together, add the fine sea salt, then fold gently into the egg mixture in two additions. Use a light hand to retain the air.
Stir the warm melted unsalted butter and the whole milk into the batter in a steady stream until combined and smooth.
Cover the bowl and chill the batter in the fridge for 60 minutes. Chilling firms the batter and helps create the characteristic hump when baked.
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan/240°C conventional. Place a rack near the top third of the oven so the heat gives the shells a quick blast.
Brush a 12-hole madeleine tin with melted unsalted butter and dust lightly with plain flour, tapping out any excess.
Spoon the batter into the moulds, filling each about three-quarters full. Smooth tops lightly so they bake evenly.
Bake on the top rack for 2 minutes at 220°C fan/240°C conventional, then immediately reduce the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden and domed.
Remove the tin, turn out the madeleines onto a cooling rack and leave for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Dust with the icing sugar while still warm, if you like.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Madeleines are lovely with a pot of tea or a light coffee.
Tips
- Cold batter meets hot oven to give the hump: don’t skimp on the 60-minute chill.
- If you don’t have a madeleine tin, use a small muffin tin but expect a slightly different shape and a less pronounced hump.
- Warm the tin before filling (place briefly in the preheating oven) for an even crisper edge, but grease and flour it immediately after warming.
- For neat domes use an ice-cream scoop or a piping bag to portion batter consistently.
- Make ahead: bake, cool completely, then store in an airtight tin for up to 48 hours; refresh in a low oven (150°C fan/170°C conventional) for 5 minutes to revive crisp edges.
Substitutions
plain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, same weight (may give a slightly crumblier texture)
Noticeably differentunsalted butter → salted butter, same weight (omit the added pinch of salt if used)
Stays closecaster sugar → fine granulated sugar, same weight (ensure it’s very fine so it dissolves into the batter)
Stays closewhole milk → unsweetened almond milk, same volume (slightly lighter flavour and texture)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 207
- Calories
- 3 g
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 60 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Why did my madeleines come out flat?
Usually because the batter wasn’t cold enough, the oven wasn’t hot enough at the start, or the eggs weren’t whisked long enough. Chill the batter, preheat properly and whisk until pale and airy.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
Yes — you can make the batter and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring it straight from the fridge to the hot oven; longer storage can harm rise.
How do I stop madeleines sticking to the tin?
Grease and flour the tin thoroughly, tapping out excess flour. Unmould while still warm; letting them cool in the tin increases sticking.
Can I add other flavours?
Yes. Replace or add citrus zest with orange, add a teaspoon of finely ground almonds (replace 15g flour), or fold in a tablespoon of finely chopped dark chocolate just before baking.
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