Madeleines are small buttery cakes with a distinctive shell shape. This French delight is named for Mary Magdalen (the French name for Magdalen is Madeleine). Food historians believe that the recipe originated with nuns from a convent once dedicated to her, as nuns traditionally raised money by baking and selling sweets. Many people liken the madeleine to pound cake, although it is actually a sponge cake (génoise). Madeleines are easy to bake, requiring only a special madeleine pan with shell shaped depressions.

Recipe #1
Here’s a recipe flavored with orange liqueur, courtesy of GranGala Triple Orange Liqueur. It was created by Tony Aiazzi, former Executive Chef at one of our favorite restaurants, Aureole, in New York City.

If you love madeleines but don’t have time to bake, look for Donsuemor madeleines.

Don’t be intimidated by their shape: madeleines are easier to make than they look. Photo courtesy Donsuemor Madeleines.

Don and Susie Morris started baking madeleines in a small kitchen in Berkeley in 1976; more than 30 years later, their company is baking 15,000 madeleines an hour. Their all-natural madeleines are available in Traditional, Lemon Zest, Chocolate, Traditional Dipped and Chocolate Dipped. The cakes, which are certified kosher (by Kosher Los Angeles), are distributed nationally at leading retailers including Albertson’s, HEB, Peet’s and Whole Foods, plus specialty and natural food stores. You can see more retailers and also order them online directly from Donsuemor.

Recipe #2
We followed one of Donsuemor’s website recipe suggestions and it is now on our list of “signature” house desserts: madeleine ice cream sandwiches. Split the madeleine in half and fill with ice cream. Gild the lily by pressing chopped nuts, chocolate shavings, mini chips or other favorite garnish around the edges of the ice cream. Madeleines freeze beautifully; you can make these in advance of the party and keep them well wrapped. The biggest challenge is to keep your hands off of them until serving time.