In 2001 (2 years before being diagnosed with coeliac disease) me and Neil holidayed in St Eulalia, Ibiza. We arrived at our hotel in the early hours of the morning. After dumping our cases in the bedroom, we headed out for a quick stroll around the harbour. We were most grateful when arriving back at our hotel, and feeling rather peckish, to be given the OK to head into the dining room, which had been set up for breakfast. I remember it being the madeleines that grabbed me most in the early hours of the morning. Ever since our holiday to Ibiza, I’ve had a real soft spot for madeleines AND eating cake for breakfast!
It’s because of my love for madeleines, that I wanted to bring you a great gluten free version of these deliciously light, lemon fragranced, scallop shaped cakes.
The original madeleine recipe I worked with and adapted to make gluten free, came from Emily Scott’s glorious Time&Tide recipe book. Such a beautiful book and one I’m delighted to have within my cookbook collection. The majority of my beloved cookbook collection contain standard recipes like Emily’s book. I simply adapt the recipes to make them gluten free.
I’ve learnt a lot about gluten free madeleine making over the last few weeks, and can’t wait to share this recipe, along with a SPLENDID tip passed on from a friend, which made removing the madeleines from the tin an absolute doddle!
Ingredients (makes approximately 16)
100g (3½ oz) unsalted butter (plus additional salted butter for greasing)
100g (3½ oz) gluten free self-raising flour (add a good pinch of xanthan gum if this or guar gum isn’t already in the flour)
100g (3½ oz) caster sugar
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon (as BIG as you can get!)
3 tablespoons of apricot jam (optional), gently warmed and passed through a sieve
Icing sugar for dusting (check suitability for gf diet)
Method
Generously butter each individual mould of a madeleine tin. Transfer the tin into the freezer (top tip I previously mentioned) away from where gluten containing foods are kept.
Gently melt the butter in a pan and set to one side to cool.
Put the caster sugar, eggs and grated lemon zest into large mixing bowl and whisk until it becomes thick and creamy and paler in colour.
Sift in the gluten free flour and salt and gently fold into the mixture.
Pour in the cooled butter, and again gently stir through until full incorporated.
Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge for at least 2 hours. I’ve left it in the fridge for up to 6 hours and still had marvellous results. In fact in the original recipe, Emily recommends leaving the mixture in the fridge overnight.
Once your’e ready to get on and bake your madeleines, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6/180C Fan.
Grab the tray from the freezer and mixture from the fridge and spoon approximately a level dessertspoonful of mixture into each buttered mould. Be careful not to overfill, as the mixture will ooze over and bake around the sides, making the madeleines a nightmare to remove from the tin… I know from experience!!
Transfer the madeleines into the oven and bake for 8-9 minutes until golden brown and firm but springy when gently pressed.
Remove them from the oven. Leave to cool for just 2 minutes and then using a small palette or round bladed knife gently lift each madeleine from the tray and transfer onto a cooling rack.
Enjoy your freshly baked madeleines, brushed with warmed, sieved apricot jam and dusted with icing sugar.
Or simply leave to cool completely, before dusting with icing sugar.
Recipe notes and suggestions:
Although best on the day they’re baked, I found that the madeleines were still soft and delicious 2-3 days later.
I’ve suggested you use salted butter for greasing the madeleine tin. As when testing the recipe, the cakes seemed to stick less with salted rather than unsalted butter.
My madeleine tin only held 12. So I simply washed it after the first bake and once cold, buttered again and popped back into the freezer. The cake mixture I stored, as before, in the fridge.
Gluten free plain flour or all purpose flour can be used if you don’t have gf self-raising. Simply add ½ teaspoon of gluten free baking powder to the flour. Add a good pinch of xanthan gum too, if this or guar gum is not already in the flour.
Madeleines are just perfect to use as a base in gluten free puddings such as tiramisu or trifle. I also think they would be delicious served up as a sweet treat side with a mixture of delicious berries, gf vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of fresh cream. They’re also truly scrummy, when dipped in melted chocolate… just double check the chocolate is gluten free of course!
Finally I must share with you how Emily suggests you may like to enjoy a madeleine (I think this sounds pretty special and it’s something that I feel I must do for my brother sometime, as I reckon it would be right up his street); “Delicious dipped in sweet Sauternes wine after supper”
Thanks as always for checking out the recipes I share. Do hope that you give these gluten free madeleines a go and you love them as much as I do.
Credit and thanks to Emily Scott for the rather wonderful original madeleine recipe that I worked with.
For now,
Liz x
They look delish, Liz. Well done 👏
Aw thanks Carol! And of course, thanks for passing on the madeleine tin in the first place, which in turn inspired me to get on and make them xx