It’s hard to pass up a madeleine when one is on offer. These delicate French cakes are beautifully sweet with a hint of citrus. Here, we’ve coated our madeleines in a white chocolate topping for a bit of elegance. They’ll be the perfect addition to a high tea spread or for a special occasion like Mother’s Day.
If you have time when making these madeleines, some traditional French recipes recommend resting the sponge mixture for several hours or even overnight before baking for a lighter, puffier end result. Stir gently before spooning the mixture into pans, then bake.
You’ll need these …
Ingredients
Method
Place sugar into a medium bowl; rub lemon rind into the sugar until evenly dispersed. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl with the sugar mixture. Whisk until the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
Whisk in the beaten eggs, vanilla and honey, then gradually whisk in the butter until smooth and combined. Cover and refrigerate batter for 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Spoon a level tablespoon of mixture into well-greased madeleine pans. Make these in batches depending on how many pans you have.
Bake on upper shelf for 10-12 minutes or until puffed and golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and stand madeleines for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
WHITE CHOCOLATE COATING Ensure madeleine pans are clean and dry. Spoon 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate into pan holes and, using the back of a teaspoon, spread chocolate evenly over the shape of the shell. Press cooled madeleine, shell side down, into the white chocolate. Freeze for 15 minutes or until set. Repeat with remaining madeleines and chocolate.
To release the madeleines from the pan, apply gentle pressure to pop out, or gently press the edge of a small, blunt knife onto one corner of the madeleine to lift out.
Can I make the madeleines in advance?
Madeleines are best eaten on the day of making, but can be stored in airtight containers for 2 days.
Can I omit the white chocolate coating?
Yes, if you’d prefer to stick to a classic recipe, simply omit the chocolate topping. You can sprinkle with icing sugar before serving, if you like. For a recipe with a lemon glaze instead, see our recipe for madeleines with lemon glaze icing.
