Description
Delicate French shell-shaped cakes infused with real vanilla bean seeds, featuring a tender crumb and golden exterior. These elegant madeleines are perfect for afternoon tea or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Beat eggs and sugar until pale and frothy (3-5 minutes)
- Combine dry ingredients: Fold in sifted flour and baking powder until just combined; avoid overmixing
- Add wet ingredients: Gently stir in cooled butter and vanilla bean seeds until blended but slightly lumpy
- Chill: Chill the batter for 30 minutes to enhance flavor and texture
- Bake: Grease madeleine pan, fill molds three-quarters full, bake 10-12 minutes until golden
- Cool: Cool in pan briefly, then transfer to wire racks. Dust with powdered sugar if desired
Notes
- Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily and create better volume when beaten
- Scrape vanilla bean seeds with a knife blade for maximum flavor extraction
- Don’t overfill molds – three-quarters full prevents overflow and ensures proper shape
- Watch for golden edges as your doneness indicator rather than relying solely on time
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 madeleine
- Calories: 145 calories
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2.5g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: vanilla bean madeleines, french pastry, shell cakes, vanilla bean, madeleines recipe, french dessert, tea cakes