The spiced madeleines are shell-shaped French pastries, perfect to serve at Christmas and enriched with dark chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla. If you love these kinds of aromas, I suggest also trying my spiced Christmas cookies without butter, which are equally irresistible. Going back to the madeleines, these little pastries with the characteristic hump have always intrigued me. The right occasion to try them came with a special gift: my mom gave me the madeleine mold for my birthday.
After experimenting with the classic recipe, I decided to create this version flavored with cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla, perfect for a Christmas touch. The result? Soft, fragrant madeleines with the perfect hump obtained thanks to thermal shock (cold batter rested in the fridge is put into a very hot oven, causing the leavening agent to rise quickly and create the characteristic hump). I tried and retried until I found the ideal combination: the encore came within a few days!
I’m happy to share the recipe for the spiced madeleines: once tried, I am sure they will become your go-to festive dessert. Try the recipe and discover all my ideas for irresistible Christmas sweets!
ALSO TRY:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 20Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
- Energy 121.19 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 12.21 (g) of which sugars 6.46 (g)
- Proteins 2.12 (g)
- Fat 7.31 (g) of which saturated 4.54 (g)of which unsaturated 2.62 (g)
- Fibers 1.01 (g)
- Sodium 67.62 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 25 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey (wildflower or acacia)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 1/2 oz dark chocolate
- to taste sugar pearls
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools for making madeleines
- Mold for madeleines
- Saucepan for bain-marie
- Sifter
- Bowl
Recipe: Christmas madeleines
Melt the butter over medium heat and let it cool slightly.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the brown sugar until you get a light and fluffy mixture, then add the honey and mix well.
Add the grated zest of an edible orange, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla extract. Stir again to incorporate the ingredients well.
Combine the sifted flour with baking powder, add a pinch of salt, and mix from bottom to top.
Pour the lukewarm butter in a thin stream and mix until you get a smooth batter.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator (this will help achieve a perfect hump).
Grease and flour a madeleine mold very well and fill each cavity 2/3 full with the prepared batter.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and continue baking for another 10 minutes, and until they are golden.
The spiced madeleines are already irresistible when freshly baked, fragrant and very soft. But if you want to make them even more delicious and beautiful to look at, melt some dark chocolate in a bain-marie and dip them gently. I chose to dip them only halfway, on the shell side, to keep their spiced aroma well highlighted. Add some colored sugar pearls and let the chocolate set.
Before serving them, a dusting of powdered sugar and a pinch of cinnamon will make them simply perfect.
Storage and tips
Storage: madeleines can be kept at room temperature for 3-4 days, stored in an airtight or tin container.
Tips: the secret to achieving the classic hump typical of madeleines is thermal shock: keep the batter in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and then bake in a well-preheated oven (400°F the first 5 minutes, then lower to 300°F for another 10 minutes).
FAQ
Is it necessary to let the batter rest in the madeleine recipe?
Yes! This helps to form the classic hump, develop the spice aromas, and make the texture softer.
Can madeleines be made without spices?
Absolutely yes. Just omit them and optionally add more lemon zest or vanilla. The recipe I proposed today is more suitable for the festive Christmas season.
Can I prepare the batter in advance?
Yes! The madeleine batter improves with resting. You can prepare it the night before and store it in the fridge well-covered.
