Brown Butter and Whiskey Madeleines

Hey my dudes!

Let’s talk Brown Butter and Whiskey Madeleines! A long time ago, when the earth was green and I was young, I worked as the pastry chef of a three Michelin-starred restaurant. Every day, at the end of the meal, we served our guests freshly baked madeleines. They were flavored with cardamom, miso, and Madeira. They were soft, sweet, fresh, and warm, and guests couldn’t get enough of them.

Madeleines are a traditional French pastry that originated in the Lorraine region of northeastern France. The exact origin of madeleines is a matter of debate, but they are believed to have been first made in the 18th century by a French pastry chef named Madeleine Paulmier. Another version of the story suggests that madeleines were invented by a group of nuns who lived in the town of Commercy in Lorraine. Madeleines became popular in the 19th century, thanks to the writer Marcel Proust, who wrote about them in his novel “In Search of Lost Time.” In the book, the narrator dips a madeleine into a cup of tea and is flooded with memories from his childhood. This passage has made madeleines synonymous with nostalgia and memory.

My Madeleines

These Brown Butter and Whiskey Madeleines are definitely inspired by my memories of the restaurant. I loved making the batter, I loved eating them, and I wanted to share the recipe with the world because I don’t believe in gatekeeping. I have simplified things in this recipe to make it more accessible to a home cook. The Madeira became whiskey and the miso became salt. I figured more people would have whiskey and salt on hand. Who wants to buy a whole bottle of Madeira just to use 20g in one recipe?

This is definitely not a very traditional madeleine recipe. The technique is fairly traditional, but these are super light and airy. They don’t sit well, and they are best directly from the oven. The batter, however, is best when made several hours before use, so if you’re serving guests, make the batter, stick it in the fridge, and let it rest until dessert time. Then you can bake off the madeleines while you make some coffee and pour some apéritif. You will love them, your guests will love them, and everyone will be happy. Which is the point of pastry, no?