We Love Madeleines

Madeleines are classic little tea cakes that are light, buttery and slightly sweet. They’re good for just about any occasion and are a staple at coffee shops. Most of the time, madeleines are quite plain. Sometimes they are flavored with just a little vanilla or lemon, or drizzled with a little chocolate, but most of the time you will notice that they look almost identical in every coffee shop you see them in. Madeleines should be delightful, never boring, and in We Love Madeleines, you’ll find dozens of recipes to keep things interesting if you’re a madeleine fan.

The book is a collection of madeleine recipes from bakers all over the world. There are recipes from classic flavors to more unusual ones, such as Salted Caramel and Chocolate and Bacon. There are also vegan, gluten free and savory options that are really a twist on tradition! Since the recipes come from a variety of bakers, there is some variety in the madeleine formulas used in the book. This means that in addition to all the flavors you get to try as you bake through the recipes, you’ll also get to try a few different textures of these little cakes to see how surprisingly diverse they can be. The basic technique is always about the same, however, and once you’ve made one batch, you will have no problems trying out each and every recipe that catches your eye. The photography is beautiful, so the odds are good that many of the recipes will catch your eye as you flip through the pages!

Madeleines are simple little cakes, but they do require a special pan to bake. You can find them in metal and in silicone, and both types will get the job done. The advantage to silicone is that you don’t need to worry about the madeleines sticking, though the metal pans tend to do a better job browning the cakes. Regardless of which type of pan you choose, you’ll have a great variety of recipes to choose from with this book, so you’re sure to get a lot of use out of it.