Madeleines are sublime, shell-shaped, puffy little cloud cakes. Created in the mid-1700s in northern France by a lady named Madeleine, they were beloved among the royals at first then conquered the rest of the country in no time. They are lovely served warm after an elaborate dinner with a cup of chai or coffee. In my world, everything is better with spices. So I added aromatic cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and turmeric to brighten up the flavors, skipped the sugar and used maple syrup for a touch of sweetness instead. Mesquite, an indigenous flour from mesquite tree pods, is rich in dietary fiber and protein and lends an exotic touch. The addition of pumpkin makes it a perfect holiday cake — the best part is that you can make this batter ahead of time and bake a few each day.
Makes 20 large madeleines
ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground dried ginger
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Zest of 2 oranges
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup mesquite flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 extra large eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée
Chopped pistachios and cranberries for topping
instructions
Melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, ginger, rosemary, and orange zest. Set aside.
Combine brown rice, almond and mesquite flours with baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk together until evenly mixed.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix eggs until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the maple syrup and pumpkin purée and continue mixing for another minute.
Add the butter mixture to the mixer bowl and mix until evenly incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture and mix only until combined. Store the batter in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 3 hours before baking, preferably overnight.
To bake: Preheat the oven to 300°F and spray or butter madeleine pans. Sprinkle a few chopped pistachios and 3 to 4 cranberries on each mold and scoop a heaping tablespoon of batter over it. Repeat with the rest and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Test with a wooden skewer before pulling them out. Let the cakes rest for 3 to 4 minutes before popping them out of the molds.
notes & variations
The batter may be refrigerated for up to 5 to 6 days.
Mesquite flour is available from many online shops — replace with almond or rice flour.
These little cakes can also be baked in muffin or cupcake pans.
Madeleines can be frozen and popped in the oven to warm up before enjoying.
This recipe is gluten free.
Also in Recipes
