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Make these dainty chai-spiced madeleines, then check out more bakes such as our dirty chai chocolate layer cake and spiced chai banana bread, or stir up some warming drinks including chai latte, masala chai, turmeric chai tea and karak chai.

How to make the perfect madeleines...

Butter: Unsalted butter is good but using French butter is best to give it a much sweeter, creamier taste. Look for the Lescure and President brands in supermarkets. Brown the butter first to create extra nuttiness – just melt butter in a pan then keep cooking over a medium heat until dark golden and smells nutty.

Flour/raising agents: Add 1 tsp of baking powder for extra lift and use plain flour but make sure it’s sifted so you don’t get any lumps.

Sugar: Use golden caster or standard caster sugar for extra lightness and airiness and to achieve the best texture. Golden caster sugar will give your madeleines a little extra colour and subtle caramel flavour.

Mixing: Whisk the sugar and eggs together until the mixture has doubled in size. You should be able to see a trail when you lift the whisk out of the mix. Folding in the dry ingredient gently rather than mixing it all together like a standard sponge cake, will keep the madeleines light.

Resting the batter: Make sure you rest and chill the batter for at least 30 minutes before pouring it into the mould in order to create the perfect rise in the oven.

Moulds: Lightly butter and flour your moulds so the madeleines pop out easily – this will also help give the classic slightly crisp outer edge. Fill your moulds to about 2 /3 full each, about 1 tbsp so it creates the perfect shape and doesn’t overflow.

Cooking time: When baking, aim for a deep tan colour before taking them out of the oven.

Ingredients

  • 100g plain flour
  • 75g golden caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 90g butter, melted and cooled
  • (optional) icing sugar

CHAI SPICES

  • 8 cardamom pods
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 tsp black tea

Method

  • STEP 1

    To make the chai spices put the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and tea with 1 tbsp sugar from the cake recipe in a spice grinder and whizz to as fine a powder as you can. Sieve out any fibres. Add 2 tbsp of the mixture to the flour for the madeleines. The rest will keep in an airtight container.

  • STEP 2

    Whisk the remaining sugar and eggs together (a stand mixer is easier for this) until the mixture is very thick and fluffy. Pour the butter around the edge of the bowl and sift over the flour and spice mix, fold everything carefully together. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

  • STEP 3

    Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Butter a 12-hole madeleine tin and fill each one 2 /3 full, about 1 tbsp.

  • STEP 4

    Bake for 10 minutes or until risen and springy. Tip out of the tin and cook the remaining mixture. Dust with icing sugar if you like.

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