Art of the Home


Almond Madeleines (Madeleines aux Amandes)

French Almond MadeleinesAlmond Madeleines (Madeleines aux Amandes)


Almond Madeleines (Madeleines aux Amandes)

The classic French madeleines are a delicious treat with coffee or tea. They also have a special spot in the heart of children who love them for their 4 heures (4pm snack). Today, for a holiday twist on this traditional French sweet, we suggest adding almonds. Mixing ground almonds to the madeleine dough gives a subtle hint of almonds and topping your madeleines with thinly sliced almonds gives them a lovely touch of elegance. You can also dust some of them (or all) with confectioners sugar. This is especially nice for winter holiday treats – looks like snow flakes on your madeleines. Now that’s another sweet way to live with the rhythm of the seasons!

So check below for the Art of the home detailed almond madeleines recipe and Art of the Home suggestions. Our madeleines are light and moist — they marry really well with a hot chocolate, a warm apple cider or simply tea and coffee. Enjoy and bon appétit!

Almond Madeleines (Madeleines aux Amandes) Recipe

INGREDIENTS (for 24-30 madeleines)

  • 6 eggs
  • 150 grams (about 10.5 Tbsp) of soften salted butter+extra to butter your madeleine pan
  • 3/4 cups of sugar
  • 1.5 cups of flour, sifted
  • 100 grams (about 3/4 cups or 4 oz) of finely ground almonds
  • 1 tsp of baking powder
  • 1/3 cups of thinly sliced almonds
  • confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)

 
DIRECTIONS

  1. Mix soft butter and sugar in mixing bowl.
  2. Mix in eggs one at a time at high speed.  You want to get a pale yellow mixture.
  3. Add baking powder to flour and sift.  Add sifted flour on the side of the bowl (a few Tbsp at a time – we use 3-4 soup spoons) and mix in slowly until all the flour is incorporated and then mix on high speed for a few seconds.  Repeat until you have used all the flour.
  4. Using a paper towel, butter (or oil) your madeleine pan. Pour in madeleine dough using a kitchen tablespoon and fill in madeleine mold. If you can, let the madeleine dough rest in the fridge, this will give your madeleine that classic hump.Note: as you can see from the picture, we got a bit impatient here and skip that step.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 390 °F (200 °C) and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden yellow on the top and golden brown on the bottom.  Start monitoring at the 10 minute mark, it can go fast and overcooked madeleines turn out dry instead of light and airy.
  6. Gently loosen the madeleines using a small silicone spatula or a knife. Place on cooling rack (hump facing up otherwise you’ll marks on your madeleines) or plate.
  7. Clean and dry madeleine pan.  Repeat step 4 and bake the next batch.

 
A FEW SUGGESTIONS

  • Almonds: we like to make some without almonds on top for madeleine lovers that just want the hint of almonds but no almond crunch.
  • Leftover Madeleines, if you have any — unlikely! Madeleines keep best in a tin box.
  • Thoughtful gift: place some flour, sugar, baking powder, whole almonds, sliced almond , and a madeleine pan in a gift bag and voilà, you inspired a cook!  Also great alternative to an easy-bake oven for young girls who love to cook and would rather do the real thing!