Julia Child Madeleines Recipe

Julia Child Madeleines are the shell-shaped French sponge cakes that Marcel Proust made famous. One bite with tea and suddenly you’re transported to a Parisian salon. The signature hump in the middle? That comes from a quirky technique the bakers of Commercy invented.

Julia captured the authentic method on page 488 of The Way to Cook, calling it “presumably the true madeleine from Commercy, the one Marcel Proust dipped in his tea.” She loved the unusual technique: browning the butter, cooling it over ice, then folding it into a rested batter. Strange, but it works.

The first time I made these, half disappeared before they cooled. I had to hide the second batch.

What are Madeleines? Delicate French shell-shaped cakes with a tender, buttery crumb and a characteristic hump on top. Made famous by Proust’s literary description of memory triggered by taste.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Proust’s famous cake. Literary history in cookie form.
• That signature hump. The technique creates the perfect shell shape with a bump.
• Deceptively simple. Eggs, sugar, flour, butter, lemon. That’s the whole list.
• Ready in 35 minutes. Quick enough for afternoon tea.
• Impressive presentation. No one ever yawns at a tray of madeleines.

Julia Child Madeleines Ingredients

From The Way to Cook by Julia Child, Page 488. Makes 24 madeleines.

• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 Tb for the molds
• 5 oz (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• Grated zest of ½ lemon
• Few drops fresh lemon juice
• Few drops vanilla extract
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Equipment:

• 2 madeleine pans (12 molds each)
• Bowl set over ice water

No madeleine pans? Use scallop shells for authentic shape, or muffin tins for “Commercy Cupcakes” as Julia called them.

How To Make Julia Child Madeleines

Step 1: Make the Batter

1. Beat eggs and sugar: Whisk ¾ cup of the eggs with sugar in a bowl. Stir in the flour. Let rest 10 minutes.
2. Brown the butter: Melt butter in a saucepan, bring to a boil, let it brown lightly. Watch carefully.
3. Reserve some butter: Mix 1 Tb flour with 1½ Tb of the browned butter. Set aside for the pans.
4. Cool the remaining butter: Stir the rest of the butter over a bowl of ice until cool but still liquid.
5. Finish the batter: Fold in the cooled butter, remaining eggs, salt, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla.

Step 2: Prep the Pans

6. Paint the molds: Use the reserved butter-flour mixture to coat each madeleine cup thoroughly. This prevents sticking and adds flavor.
7. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Step 3: Fill and Bake

8. Portion the batter: Drop a generous tablespoon into each mold.
9. Bake 15 minutes: Until edges are lightly browned, centers are humped, and cakes shrink slightly from the cups.
10. Unmold immediately: Turn out onto a cooling rack right away.

Step 4: Serve

11. Dust with sugar: When cool, turn shell-side up and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Recipe Tips

• Rest the batter: 10 minutes minimum. Longer rest (even overnight in the fridge) helps develop the hump.
• Brown the butter but don’t burn: Watch constantly. It goes from brown to burnt fast.
• Cool butter over ice: Must stay liquid but not warm, or it deflates the batter.
• Butter-flour the pans generously: Creates crispy edges and easy release.
• Bake at high heat: 375°F creates steam inside the batter that pushes up the signature hump.
• Unmold while hot: Cool madeleines stick. Turn them out right away.

The Secret to the Hump

Everyone wants that signature bump. Here’s what creates it:

1. Rested batter: Allows the flour to hydrate fully.
2. Cold butter into room-temp batter: Creates structure contrast.
3. Hot oven: The edges set first, forcing the center to push up.
4. Properly greased pans: Allow even rising.

Some bakers chill the batter overnight for an even more dramatic hump.

Recipe Variations

Honey Madeleines: Replace half the sugar with honey. Classic alternative.

Chocolate Chip: Fold in 2 Tb mini chocolate chips.

Orange Blossom: Use orange zest instead of lemon. Add a drop of orange blossom water.

Chocolate Dipped: Dip cooled madeleines halfway into melted dark chocolate. Let set on parchment.

What To Serve With Madeleines

Julia suggested serving with:

• Tea (the Proustian pairing)
• Sorbets and ice cream
• Fresh fruit
• As petit fours after dinner

They’re also perfect with espresso, hot chocolate, or champagne.

Make-Ahead Options

Madeleines are best eaten fresh and warm. But you have options:

The batter: Can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. Cold batter actually creates a better hump. Let it come to room temperature 30 minutes before baking, or bake cold and add a minute to the time.

Baked madeleines: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, or freeze for up to a month. Don’t dust with sugar until after thawing (10-15 minutes at room temperature).

How To Store

Fresh: Best within hours of baking. The outside stays crisp, the inside tender.

Refrigerator: Airtight container, up to 2 days.

Freezer: Freeze perfectly. Thaw at room temperature 10-15 minutes.

Sugar timing: Don’t dust until just before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Per madeleine:

• Calories: 90 kcal
• Protein: 1g
• Total Fat: 5g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Carbohydrates: 11g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 7g
• Sodium: 15mg
• Cholesterol: 25mg

FAQs

Source: The Way to Cook by Julia Child, Page 488

– Claire