Poppy seed and Lemon Madeleines is my twist on classic French Madeleines. These well-known and fancy looking dessert cakes can be little intimidating at first. A little patience and you will master these in no time.
This recipes makes tender and elegant soft sponge cakes that will dazzle any tea party. These Poppy Seed and Lemon Madeleines are drizzled with Sugar glaze. You can also drizzle some melted chocolate over it and if you are short on time, simply sprinkle some powdered sugar on it. In fact just the sprinkling of sugar is how it is served in French Boulangerie.
If you would like to read more please take a look at the History of Madeleines.
Why we love this recipe of Lemon and Poppy Seed Madeleines:
Very few ingredients
Easy to make
The only thing you really need is patience.
The Ingredients you will need to make Poppy seed and Lemon madeleines:
For the Madeleines:
Eggs – The eggs need to be room temperature. You can remove the Eggs from Refrigerator and place on the Counter for couple of hours before making the recipe. Another quick way to bring the Eggs to room temperature is place them in warm water for 5 minutes. Make sure water is not hot.
All-purpose Flour – Just the plain All-purpose flour
Poppy Seeds white or Black
Sugar – Granulated sugar works well. Do not use powdered Sugar.
Butter – Room temperature Butter is important because cold ingredients don’t bond very well.
Lemon juice, Lemon zest and Vanilla extract – Zest of about one Lemon
For the Sugar glaze:
Powdered Sugar
Heavy cream – Only add one Tbsp. at a time until desired thickness
Butter – Butter should be melted and cooled
Step by step instruction:
Use Eggs that are brought to room temperature. Keep the Eggs out of refrigerator for about 2 hours before using.
Use the Whipping attachment for the stand mixer.
Mix the All-purpose flour, poppy seeds and salt.
Whip the Eggs with Sugar. At first start slow. After 2 minutes start whipping at high speed. The key is to whip the Eggs longer so they are aerated enough. Whip the Eggs for at least 4 minutes.
Add Lemon juice, lemon zest and Vanilla extract and whip for another minute.
Add the All purpose flour, Poppy seed and Salt mixture to the Eggs and Sugar mixture and mix well with a spoon.
Once properly mixed, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest an hour.
After about 30 minutes, place the Butter in a small sauce pan and heat on low to medium heat.
The Butter will start melting.
Keep stirring the Butter so it doesn’t burn at the bottom.
Once fully, melted, take off the heat and keep aside until it cools down for about 25 minutes.
Once the hour of resting the dough is over, pour the melted butter slowly over it. Mix well.
Again, place the kitchen towel over the pot and let rest for an hour. Do not refrigerate.
After 40 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Use melted Butter and pastry brush to butter the Madeleine pan.
Mix the batter one more time after an hour.
Spoon out the batter in equal proportions to Madeleine pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove on a cooling rack after that.
Prepare the sugar glaze by mixing Powdered Sugar, melted Butter and Half and Half or Whipping cream.
Once the Madeleines are cooled you can glaze it with a spoon or using a pastry bag.
Tips for making Lemon and Poppy Seed Madeleines
You can use a mini muffin pan. Remember the crisp brown edges are the signature of madeleines and you won’t achieve that in a mini muffin pan. The cakes will still be equally delicious.
You can use black or slate blue poppy seeds as well. White poppy seeds are also called Indian poppy seeds. They are milder n taste. If you use white poppy seeds they will not show in the Madeleines. Black or blue seeds will show prominently. Poppy seeds are very commonly used in Europe for baking products. They are commonly used in India as a thickener for the gravies.
You can definitely freeze them. Bring them to room temperature and pop them in the 200 degree F. oven for 5 minutes. Do remember though nothing taste better than Madeleines freshly baked just out of the oven.
I love Madeleines when I have friends over for afternoon Tea. Nothing beats sitting in the garden sipping some tea and eating these lovely treats or you can be by the fireside if you are facing Winter. Your friends think you slaved over these gorgeous treats when you really think these are the easiest cakes I ever made.
You surely can but Butter gives its indulgent flavor so if possible stick to Butter.
Lemon and Poppy seed Madeleines
Equipment
- stand mixer
- Madeleine Pan
- Mortar and Pestle
- Sauce pan for melting butter
Ingredients
- 2 Eggs Room temperature
- 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
- ¼ Cup Poppy Seeds White or Black
- ½ tsp. Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- ½ Cup Sugar Granulated
- 10 Tbsp. Butter Total will be used separately
- 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon zest
For Sugar glaze
- Powdered Sugar
- Whipping Cream or Heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp. Butter melted
Instructions
- Using Mortar and Pestle or a grinder, grind the Poppy seeds as much as possible. They don't have to be a fine powder.
- Mix the All-purpose flour, poppy seeds, Baking Powder and salt and keep aside.
- Whip the Eggs with Sugar. At first start slow. After 2 minutes start whipping at high speed. The key is to whip the Eggs longer so they are aerated enough. Whip the Eggs for at least 4 minutes.
- Add Lemon juice, lemon zest and Vanilla extract and whip for another minute.
- Add the Al purpose flour, Poppy seeds, Baking Powder and Salt mixture to the Eggs and Sugar mixture and mix well with a spoon.
- Once properly mixed, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest an hour.
- After about 30 minutes, place the Butter in a small sauce pan and heat on low to medium heat. The Butter will start melting.
- Keep stirring the Butter so it doesn’t burn at the bottom.
- Once fully, melted, take off the heat and keep aside until it cools down for about 25 minutes.
- Once the hour of resting the dough is over, pour the melted butter slowly over it. Mix well.
- Again, place the kitchen towel over the pot and let rest for an hour. Do not refrigerate.
- After 40 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Use melted Butter and pastry brush to butter the Madeleine pan.
- Mix the batter one more time after an hour.
- Spoon out the batter in equal proportions to Madeleine pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove on a cooling rack after that.
- Prepare the sugar glaze by mixing Powdered Sugar, melted Butter and Half and Half or Whipping cream.
- Once the Madeleines are cooled you can glaze it with a spoon or using a pastry bag.
Leave a Reply