• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Emma Duckworth Bakes

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
  • RECIPES
    • Breakfast
    • Brownies & Bars
    • Cakes & Cupcakes
    • Cookies & Biscuits
    • Doughs & Pastries
    • French Baking
    • Ice-cream, Popsicles & Frozen
    • Meringues & Pavlovas
    • Panna Cotta, Mousse & Parfait
    • Pies & Tarts
    • Profiteroles & Eclairs
    • Sauces & Curds
    • Small Batch
    • Snacks
  • BAKING RESOURCES
    • Doughs & Pastries
    • How to Guides
    • Baking Tips
  • SUBSCRIBE
Home » Cake & Cupcakes » Browned Butter Espresso Madeleines

Browned Butter Espresso Madeleines

05/11/2019 by Emma 4 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
Browned butter espresso madeleines

Browned butter espresso madeleines

Browned Butter Espresso Madeleines are the perfect little snack for your afternoon tea. The buttery rich sponge with a nutty undertone is then dipped in an espresso glaze and sprinkled with chopped toasted walnuts. I don’t think you will stop at one!

These French little treats are elevated by using browned butter which imparts the most beautiful nutty under tones to the batter. Repeat after me: These are delicious. Like utterly more-ish.

They are tiny little morsels of perfection – literally two bites and it’s gone. That’s why you can do more than just one!

  • Ingredients on a table
  • Batter being made
  • Batter being mixed
  • Madeleines pans being filled

What are Madeleines?

They are a light buttery sponge baked in a shell mould typically eaten in the afternoon with tea or coffee. Madeleines originate from France and there’s often a deliberation as to whether they are cookies or cake.

But they are definitely cake – just tiny little ones. And I think that’s their appeal, I find them so visually cute to look at! Left plain, dusted in icing sugar or dipped in glaze or chocolate, there are many variations for this sweet treat.

You can read more about their history here.

Browned butter madeleines out of the oven
Browned butter madeleines being glazed

Why did I pick this flavour combination?

It’s currently Autumn and the flavours that spring to mind are always, nutty, rich, full flavours that encapsulate this time of year. Browned butter is pretty much on repeat during this season and I knew they would be a factor in these madeleines. (Actually who am I kidding – since I learnt of the impact that browned butter can have on the taste of baked goods, I use it all the time!)

And as for coffee and walnuts … well they’re a match made in heaven when it comes to flavour pairings. Think walnut and coffee cake (hhhmmmm I might just need to make one of those soon.)

And so my browned butter espresso madeleines were born!

Browned butter espresso madeleines

The Ins and Outs of Madeleines

Alrighty. There are a couple of points that I need to raise before we carry on. Yes they are tiny but you need to follow these important steps to get the signature shape and texture that makes them Madeleines..

  1. Buttering the madeleines pan. Melt a tablespoon of butter and using a pastry brush work that butter into all the nooks of the shell mould. They dust lightly all over with flour and tap out the excess. This helps give the outside of the madeleines a crispy exterior but also stops them from sticking. Very important!
  2. Whipping the eggs and sugar. Normally when making a sponge batter we beat the butter and sugar together to aerate the batter. But with madeleines you whip the eggs and sugar for a solid 5 minutes to really get some volume going. Then you add the milk and vanilla bean paste, and sifted dry ingredients mixing carefully until just combined. It’s at this point, right at the end that we add the melted butter and mix it in. (Browned melted butter at that!)
  3. Letting the batter rest. This is another important step. Once you have finished making the batter, cover your bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate. Between 2-3 hours is ideal but overnight if you want to have fresh madeleines for breakfast (totally acceptable I might add!)
  4. Filling the moulds. You need to place a tablespoon of the batter in the deepest part of the shell mould. And don’t flatten it out. The heat of the oven will do that whilst also allowing the signature ‘mound’ on the back of the madeleine to rise.
  5. When to eat them. They are best served on the same day. Within an hour or two of making them. I find that even if you store them in an airtight container, they can go quite dry. The downside to baking something so small. But the upside is that you have the perfect excuse to eat them right away. And dunking them in your coffee is a sure fire way of enjoying them.

And there you have it. The key points to making these delicacies. Follow these points and you’ll be on the fast track to successfully making yourself these beauties.

Coffee and cake

If you fancy other French sweet treats, try out these:

Earl Grey French Toast with Blackberry Jam. Recipe found here.

Roasted Strawberry Crepes. Recipe found here.

Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon heart heart icon heart solid heart solid icon
Browned butter espresso madeleines

Browned Butter Espresso Madeleines

  • Author: Emma
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 24 1x
  • Category: Cakes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

These Browned Butter Espresso Madeleines are the perfect accompaniment to your cup of coffee. Buttery rich sponge with a nutty undertone is then dipped in an espresso glaze and sprinkled with chopped toasted walnuts. I don’t think you will stop at one!


Ingredients

Scale

For the madeleines

100g browned butter, melted but cool, plus an extra tablespoon for the mould

2 large eggs, room temperature

100g (1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) caster sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

110g (3/4 cup) plain flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

 

For the espresso glaze

1 tablespoon espresso granules

3 tablespoons hot water

240g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon milk

50g (½ cup) walnuts, toasted and chopped finely


Instructions

For the madeleines

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt your butter. Continue to cook until the butter is golden brown and has a nutty fragrance. This takes about 4-5 minutes.  Remember the the butter turns very quickly from golden to burnt. Remove from the heat, pour into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.
  2. Into the bowl of an electric mixer, place the eggs and sugar and and whip on high for about five minutes untl the mixture is thick and pale. 
  3. Decrease to low speed and add the milk and vanilla extract. Mix till combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. Add to the bowl of the electric standmixer and mix on low speed until combined.
  5. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the browned butter. Using a spatular, fold the butter into the mixture. Take care not to over mix. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to let the batter rest (or overnight if needed).
  6. 30 minutes before baking, pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F. Using a pastry brush, generously brush melted butter into the moulds of two Madeleine pans, and dust with a little flour (knocking out the excess). Place pans in the fridge until ready to use.
  7. Once the oven is at temperature, remove the batter from the fridge and one Madeleine pan. Fill the deepest part of each well with 1 level tablespoon of batter. Do not level the batter out. Remove the other pan from the fridge and fill in the same way.  
  8. Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, check after 8 minutes and rotate the pans. They are ready when the ‘humps’ have risen and they‘re browned on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before removing them from the pans and allowing to cool. (Tip: give the pans a little jiggle and they should pop out. If they stick, run a knife around the edges to loosen them.)

 

For the espresso glaze 

  1. Add espresso granules and hot water to a small bowl and mix until the coffee is combined.
  2. In a separate bowl add the icing sugar, vanilla bean paste and 2 tablespoons of coffee and whisk the ingredients until a smooth and a drippy glaze forms. If the mixture is too thick, add a teaspoon at a time of milk (or more coffee if you want a stronger taste) and whisk till combined. Or if too thin, you can thicken it be adding a ¼ cup of icing sugar and whisking until a desired consistency has been reached. The icing mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  3. Dip the shell side of the madeleine into the espresso glaze until coated and then dip the bottom half of the madeleine into the chopped walnutes. Place on a sheet of baking paper until set. Serve immediately.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @emmaduckworthbakes on Instagram and hashtag it #emmaduckworthbakes

Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

Pinterest Graphic

Related posts

Triple Chocolate No-Bake Cheesecake
Cherry Filled Lamingtons
Earl Grey Crème Brûlée Tart

Filed Under: Cakes & Cupcakes, French Baking, Snacks Tagged With: brown butter, browned butter, coffee, espresso, glaze, madeleines, walnuts

Previous Post: « Toffee Apples and Pears
Next Post: Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bread »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Grace

    05/11/2019 at 9:34 pm

    This looks beautiful and delicious as always!

    Reply
    • Emma

      06/11/2019 at 7:55 am

      Thanks so much Grace, so kind of you to say. I loved styling this shoot with the muted brown tones.That coffee glaze with the madeleines is divine!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆
Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Welcome to Emma Duckworth Bakes, a destination for approachable, delicious baked goods, sweet treats and desserts that you can re-create at home. A self-taught baker with a passion for seasonal homemade treats shaped by European influences. Learn more about me here

SIGN UP FOR MY FREE
SMALL BATCH DESSERT E-BOOK!

​

    ​

    TOP RECIPES

    Orange Blossom Pound Cake with Cherry Glaze

    Orange Blossom Pound Cake with Cherry Glaze

    Fig, Caramel and Pecan Babka

    Fig, Caramel and Pecan Babka

    Simple Plum Jam

    Simple Plum Jam

    Footer

    About Emma

    Welcome to Emma Duckworth Bakes, a destination for delicious baked goods, sweet treats and desserts that you can re-create at home. A self-taught baker with a passion for homemade food made with seasonal ingredients and photographed in a beautiful way.

    Mesmerising roasted strawberry frosting swirls. Th Mesmerising roasted strawberry frosting swirls. The very best way to do frosting. Hope you’re all having a fab week so far 🌟
.
.
.

#foodblogfeed #feedfeed #feedfeedchocolate #feedfeedbaking #thebakefeed #f52grams #huffposttaste #inmykitchen #bonappetit #bakingblog #foodfluffer #foodtographyschool 
#foodfluffer #foodphotography #bakeandshare #realsimple #thebakefeed #hereismyfood #kitchn #bakedfromscratch #stilllife #yahoofood #buzzfeast #vscofeed #eattheworld #foodblogger @foodblogfeed @thefeedfeed @thebakefeed @food52 @real_simple  @thekitchn @thefeedfeed.chocolate @thefeedfeed.baking #chiswick #london
    The best thing about making it to Friday...plannin The best thing about making it to Friday...planning that weekend baking project. And this Earl Grey Creme Brûlée Tart fits the bill. Lightly fragranced bergamot tea custard topped with that signature crunchy shell encased in flakey sweet shortcrust pastry. oh yeah. It’s good. Like really really delicious. And if you can’t be bothered to make the tart- then just make the creme brûlée in ramekins. Link in profile. 
.
.
.

#foodblogfeed #feedfeed #feedfeedchocolate #feedfeedbaking #thebakefeed #f52grams #huffposttaste #inmykitchen #bonappetit #bakingblog #foodfluffer #foodtographyschool 
#foodfluffer #foodphotography #bakeandshare #realsimple #thebakefeed #hereismyfood #kitchn #bakedfromscratch #stilllife #yahoofood #buzzfeast #vscofeed #eattheworld #foodblogger @foodblogfeed @thefeedfeed @thebakefeed @food52 @real_simple  @thekitchn @thefeedfeed.chocolate @thefeedfeed.baking #chiswick #london
    My Upside Down Rhubarb Cake has been given a littl My Upside Down Rhubarb Cake has been given a little image re-fresh. Link in profile for this seasonal beauty.
✨
Now let’s talk progression- swipe right for my new rhubarb cake images as opposed to two years ago when I initially photographed this recipe. Worlds apart! How did I progress? 
1. Invested in myself by attending @foodtographyschool . I needed help and I turned to an expert for it instead of spending months/years mindlessly searching on u-tube.
2. Practice everyday - think about composition, understand the light you have to work with, know the message you are trying to portray. All skills that you can be taught but it’s up to you to develop them and progress. 
✨
After 18 months of hard graft, I landed a cook book deal. Without learning and then practicing my craft there is no way that dream would have been realised so quickly. 
✨
For those that take the leap and sign up to @foodtographyschool use discount code EMMA for 15% off plus have a 1 hour coaching session with me.
What ya waiting for... believe in yourself, take the leap, you won’t regret it🌟
.
.
.
@foodtographyschool #foodtographyschool #affiliate #foodblogfeed #feedfeed #feedfeedchocolate #feedfeedbaking #thebakefeed #f52grams #huffposttaste #inmykitchen #bonappetit #bakingblog #foodfluffer #foodtographyschool 
#foodfluffer #foodphotography #bakeandshare #realsimple #thebakefeed #hereismyfood #kitchn #bakedfromscratch #stilllife #yahoofood #buzzfeast #vscofeed #eattheworld #foodblogger @foodblogfeed @thefeedfeed @thebakefeed @food52 @real_simple  @thekitchn @thefeedfeed.chocolate @thefeedfeed.baking #chiswick #london
    Blood orange really does make the prettiest everyt Blood orange really does make the prettiest everything! If you follow me on stories you’ll know I’ve been fervently reminding you to sign up to @foodtography master class. 2 out of 3 sessions are already sold out so if you want to take food photography seriously and make it a living you NEED to sign up and watch it. It’s FREE and you get a free BRAND PITCH GUIDE at the class.
🌸🍊
The newly improved Foodtography School Course will be launched at the sessions and having had a sneak peek - it’s amazing. 
🌸🍊
AND if you sign up to Foodtography Course or Advanced Foodtography Course use code EMMA at checkout to get 15% off AND you’ll receive a 1 hr COACHING SESSION with me. 
🌸🍊
Phew that was a lot. Hit me with any DM’s if you have questions ❤️
.
.
.

#foodblogfeed #feedfeed #feedfeedchocolate #feedfeedbaking #thebakefeed #f52grams #huffposttaste #inmykitchen #bonappetit #bakingblog #foodfluffer #foodtographyschool 
#foodfluffer #foodphotography #bakeandshare #realsimple #thebakefeed #hereismyfood #kitchn #bakedfromscratch #stilllife #yahoofood #buzzfeast #vscofeed #eattheworld #foodblogger @foodblogfeed @thefeedfeed @thebakefeed @food52 @real_simple  @thekitchn @thefeedfeed.chocolate @thefeedfeed.baking #chiswick #london

    Latest Recipes

    Chocolate Swiss Roll
    Whole Wheat Crêpes with Lemon Curd on a plate
    Lemon crêpes
    • FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY RESOURCES
    • PORTFOLIO
    • WORK WITH ME

    Copyright © 2021 Emma Duckworth Bakes on the Foodie Pro Theme