Lemon Madeleines - Crispy and Soft

It is said that in 1730, when King Leszczyński of Poland was in exile in the city of Commercy, his pastry chef disappeared during the dessert course at dinner. At that moment, a maid prepared a cake for him, and upon tasting it, he was full of praise for it. Thus, he named the cake after the maid, Madeleine, marking the origin of the Madeleines. Due to its shape resembling a seashell, it is also known as a shell cake. Nowadays, this distinctively French dessert has gained worldwide fame and is adored by dessert lovers everywhere. Besides its own delightful taste, the Madeleines owes its popularity to the French literary giant Marcel Proust. In his famous work "In Search of Lost Time," he describes his memories of the Madeleines, introducing this cake to the whole world. This cake has a shell-like patterned bottom and a signature hump on top, making it visually appealing and charming. The bottom of the cake, which has more direct contact with the mold, experiences intense heat, developing a golden, alluring color that contributes to its crisp exterior. Freshly baked Madeleines, after slightly cooling, are enchanting with their crispy outside layer that captivates your taste buds with one bite. The inside is soft and spongy, releasing a rich aroma of eggs and milk, making them irresistibly delicious. After being left for a period of time, the crispy exterior softens, akin to the oil reflux seen in pound cakes, offering a different yet enjoyable texture. This cake requires only a few basic ingredients, including eggs, flour, butter, and sugar, supplemented with baking powder and lemon zest. Similar to pound cakes, the proportions of the four main ingredients are equal, making it a butter cake. Citrus zest is a perfect partner for butter cakes, and the addition of fragrant lemon zest transforms this rich, sugary cake into a light, refreshing treat. From the base recipe, you can create other flavors, such as replacing 5% of low-gluten flour with matcha powder to create matcha-flavored Madeleines, or swapping 10% of low-gluten flour with cocoa powder and replacing part of the butter with dark chocolate (with over 50% fat content, primarily cocoa butter) to make rich chocolate-flavored Madeleines. Additional ingredients such as sweetened red beans, chocolate chips, or crushed nuts can also be used to enhance the flavor of the cake. The technique for making Madeleines slightly differs from that of other butter cakes. The butter doesn’t need to be softened and whipped but melted into a liquid for direct use. Combine eggs with sugar until well-mixed, add the flour mixture, then incorporate the butter, all in under 10 minutes. This makes Madeleines a quick dessert to prepare, almost as fast as making muffins. Regarding the resting of the batter, I believe it’s not necessary. Some argue that resting the batter (even refrigerating overnight) helps develop the signature hump. However, the rise of Madeleines is largely due to the baking powder rather than the resting time. Allowing the batter to rest for around 10 minutes can enhance its texture as starch absorbs water and hydrolyzes. But over-resting may cause some baking powder reactions to occur prematurely, which could weaken the rise during baking. Furthermore, a long waiting period could diminish your desire for sweet treats. Generally, most cake batters like chiffon, pound, and muffin batters should be baked immediately after mixing, as delays could lead to loss of aeration or premature reactions of baking powder, resulting in a poor final texture. So, how does the hump on Madeleines form? The reason lies in the mold’s shell pattern, which increases the contact area between the batter and the mold. During baking, the batter rapidly heats, solidifying the cake’s bottom and sides early while leaving the center moist. The steam generated from moisture evaporation and carbon dioxide produced by the baking powder are forced to converge towards the center and rise upwards, creating the hump. Madeleine molds, like muffin molds, are connected cavities of varying sizes and shapes depending on the brand. They can be made of silicone or metal. Silicone molds are easily demolded but less efficient at transferring heat, leading to less crispy cake surfaces. Metal molds, on the other hand, transfer heat quickly, allowing optimal heat-induced expansion, with crispy, flavorful bottoms, though they aren’t as easy to demold. You can ease this by evenly buttering the mold and sprinkling dry flour on it for easy release. Hence, metal molds are recommended for the crispiest Madeleines. Key tips for making Madeleines: 1. Ensure the effectiveness of the baking powder. Baking powder is crucial for success. You can test its viability by adding some to water to observe if sufficient bubbles are produced. 2. Mix the batter thoroughly. Thorough mixing ensures even distribution of the baking powder, producing fine textures. If the batter was rested, stir it again before pouring into molds. 3. Bake at high temperatures. High heat helps achieve pronounced rise, a principle applicable to chiffon cakes as well. Use high heat and short baking times for Madeleines. Recipe Information: Baking: Preheat the oven to 220°C, bake at 190°C (top and bottom heat), middle-lower rack, for 12 minutes, adjust based on the temperature variance of your oven. Mold: Non-stick metal mold for 8 Madeleines. Yield: 8 pieces, suitable for 2-4 people. Storage: Airtight container, 3 days at room temperature, 5 days refrigerated.