Chef Juan Arbelaez's Classic Madeleines: A Nostalgic Recipe Straight from Childhood

Among the cakes that instantly transport us to childhood, chouquettes, roses des sables, and madeleines top the list. These soft, delicate, and indulgent treats spark fond memories with the very first bite. This iconic traditional cake, shaped like a seashell, never fails to warm the heart. Fun fact: madeleines hail from Spain, where they're a culinary staple, and made their way to France via pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. They've since become an irreplaceable delight on our tables.

With simple ingredients like eggs, flour, sugar, and butter—much like pancakes—madeleines are a breeze to whip up. For an afternoon treat, try this divine recipe from acclaimed chef Juan Arbelaez. Shared on his Instagram, it features homemade madeleines dipped in chocolate—a true indulgence worth making right away!

How to Make Juan Arbelaez's Madeleines

For 20 madeleines, you'll need:

• 150 g unsalted butter + extra to butter the baking sheet
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 135 g sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 125 g flour + extra to flour the baking sheet
• 5 g baking powder
• Grated zest of 1 organic lime
• 1 pinch of fine salt
• 150 g dark chocolate

Preparation steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 210°C. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. As it foams, watch for a slight amber color and nutty aroma. Let it cool in the pan.
2. Whisk the whole eggs, yolks, and sugar at high speed until pale and fluffy. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder together, then fold into the egg-sugar mixture. Add the vanilla seeds, lime zest, salt, and cooled browned butter. Mix gently until smooth.
4. Butter the madeleine molds and dust with sifted flour. Fill the indentations with batter. Bake for 8 minutes, then open the oven door, reduce to 170°C, close, and bake for 3 more minutes.
5. Melt the chocolate and dip the cooled madeleines before serving.

This recipe, featured on Chef Juan Arbelaez's Instagram, is from his book A table in 20 minutes flat (ed. Marabout, April 2021).