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Lemon madeleines with a scalloped shape and hump on a plate served with a cup of tea

Lemon Madeleines with Honey

Jill Colonna
How to make classic French lemon Madeleines cakes with honey, plus my recipe tips to obtain that signature hump. Makes approx 16 per batch.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course afternoon tea, Snack, teatime
Cuisine French
Servings 6 people
Calories 290 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 eggs organic
  • 60 g (2½oz/ ⅓ cup) sugar
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
  • 1½ tablespoon honey runny (e.g. Acacia)
  • 150 g (5½oz/ 1¼ cups) plain flour all-purpose
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch salt (fleur de sel)
  • 100 g (3½ oz/7 tbsp) unsalted butter melted
  • 1 lemon, zest only organic/unwaxed

Instructions
 

  • Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and frothy - either by hand or using a stand mixer. Whisk in the milk, vanilla and honey then gradually mix in the flour, baking powder and salt until the batter is smooth.
  • Melt the butter (either in the microwave for 40 seconds or in a saucepan) and brush the scalloped Madeleine moulds with melted butter (even if using a non-stick pan). Whisk the rest of the melted butter into the flour mixture with the fresh lemon zest.
  • Leave the madeleine batter covered in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Also chill the buttered moulds in the fridge.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan/Gas 6) and heat the baking tray.
  • Spoon the chilled batter into the chilled, prepared madeleine tin (or use a piping bag).
  • Place the tin on the hot baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Notes

Serve immediately with a pot of tea (green tea or Earl Grey are particularly good with the subtle lemon), coffee or Parisian hot chocolate.
This lemon and honey madeleine recipe is adapted from my pastry cookbook Teatime in Paris: A Walk Through Easy French Patisserie Recipes (2015). The original version featured rosewater - said to be part of the first madeleine recipe in France.
Lemon zest: ensure lemons are not chemically treated. If you're not sure, soak for 15 minutes in water and bicarbonate of soda and scrub under running water.
Madeleine Variations:
  • Orange: replace the lemon with the zest of one fresh orange or clementine (again, organic). Fill inside with this homemade orange curd.
  • Rose: Replace lemon zest or simply add 1 teaspoon rosewater.
  • Chocolate: Substitute 20g all-purpose flour with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Storage: Best served fresh and warm from the oven. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days also wrapped in baking parchment. These can also freeze. Just defrost and reheat for 5 minutes at 150°C (300°F) to bring back that fresh-baked texture.
Nutritional Information: Based on 3 per person @ 97 calories for each cake, without any filling.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 96mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 505IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 2mg
Keyword how to make madeleine cakes, lemon madeleines, madeleine cakes, madeleine recipe, madeleines
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