Aromatic Vanilla Madeleines
Baking Moist and Tender Vanilla Madeleines
Today, let’s bake wonderfully moist and tender vanilla madeleines. These delicate shell-shaped cakes are infused with a lovely vanilla flavor.
Madeleine Batter Ingredients- 2 fresh eggs
- 85g granulated sugar
- 10g vanilla syrup
- 110g cake flour (low-gluten flour)
- 3g baking powder
- 100g unsalted butter, melted
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
In a mixing bowl, crack in 2 fresh eggs. You can remove the chalazae (the white stringy bits) for a smoother batter.
Step 2
Add 85g of granulated sugar and 10g of vanilla syrup to the eggs.
Step 3
Using a whisk, gently mix the eggs, sugar, and vanilla syrup together. Be careful not to over-whisk and incorporate too much air at this stage.
Step 4
Set up a double boiler by placing a saucepan with a small amount of simmering water on the stove. Place the bowl with the egg mixture over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (around 40-50°C or 104-122°F). This step helps create a tender crumb.
Step 5
Prepare to sift the dry ingredients: measure out 110g of cake flour and 3g of baking powder.
Step 6
Sift the cake flour and baking powder together into a fine powder. This ensures that no lumps remain and helps distribute the leavening agent evenly.
Step 7
Add the sifted dry ingredients to the warm egg mixture. Gently fold or whisk until just combined and no dry streaks of flour are visible. Overmixing at this point can develop gluten and make the madeleines tough, so mix only until incorporated.
Step 8
Pour in the 100g of melted unsalted butter. Ensure the butter is warm but not hot, as very hot butter can cook the eggs.
Step 9
Using a spatula or whisk, thoroughly mix the butter into the batter until it is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth and uniform. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined.
Step 10
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the batter to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This resting period allows the flavors to meld and the gluten to relax, resulting in a better texture.
Step 11
Transfer the chilled batter into a piping bag. Pipe the batter into your madeleine molds, filling each cavity about 70-80% full. This allows room for the madeleines to puff up without overflowing.
Step 12
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) for the top heat and 170°C (340°F) for the bottom heat for 5 minutes. Bake the madeleines in the preheated oven at the same temperature (175°C top / 170°C bottom) for approximately 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
Step 13
Immediately after removing the madeleines from the oven, carefully unmold them onto a wire rack. Let them cool completely on the rack. This prevents them from becoming soggy.
Step 14
Once fully cooled, arrange the madeleines on a serving plate. Enjoy your delicious homemade vanilla madeleines!
