Vanilla Madeleinesgolden shell-shaped treats
Vanilla madeleines with a delicate crumb and shell shape: beat the eggs well, incorporate the butter, and rest the batter before baking in molds.

The volume of these madeleines comes from well-beaten eggs, without chemical leavening. Butter is added after the flour, carefully to preserve the incorporated air. Resting the batter and using the proper mold help define the shell grooves and the back relief; the cavity size determines the yield.
Ingredients
Batter and molds
Batter
Preparation
Prepare the butter
Melt 120 g of butter and let it cool. Brush madeleine molds with the remaining 10 g and refrigerate. Scrape the vanilla seeds.
5 minutesBeat the eggs
Beat eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla for 7 to 9 minutes until the mixture is pale, voluminous, and falls in ribbons that remain visible for a few seconds.
10 minutesIncorporate without losing air
Sift the flour in two additions over the eggs and fold with a spatula from bottom to top. Mix two spoonfuls of batter with the warm butter and return to the bowl, gently incorporating. Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
10 minutesFill and bake
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Distribute the batter without spreading, filling about three-quarters of each cavity. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until edges are golden and the center springs back to the touch. If baking more than one batch, keep the remaining batter chilled.
15 minutesUnmold
Wait 2 minutes, gently release from molds, and place on a rack. Serve warm or cooled.
5 minutes
Substitutions
Lemon zest changes the aroma but can replace vanilla. Muffin molds do not produce the characteristic madeleine grooves.
Storage
After cooling, store in a closed container in a cool, dry place. Freeze well wrapped if you want to keep them longer.
Approximate shelf life: Up to 2 days at cool room temperature or 30 days frozen.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by brand, substitution and actual yield.


