Orange madeleines are lovely with nothing more than powdered sugar, but this version has a lot more going on. Brown butter gives the crumb a warm, toasted flavor, while fresh orange zest keeps it bright. If you enjoy delicate French bakes, my French macarons are another good weekend project, although these madeleines are far less fussy.
Inside each madeleine is a soft caramel made with reduced orange juice and a real vanilla bean. A thin orange glaze and crunchy pistachio praline finish them off, giving you buttery cake, gooey caramel, and crisp nuts in every bite. The same brown butter, orange, and pistachio combination also works beautifully in my pistachio carrot cake, only in a soft layer cake with cream cheese frosting. There are a few parts here, but each can be made ahead and assembled once the madeleines have cooled.
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours
Total time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 18 madeleines
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French-inspired
Ingredients
For the orange madeleines
- 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
- 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons finely grated orange zest
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
For the orange and vanilla bean caramel
- ½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup or glucose
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the pistachio praline
- ¾ cup (90 g) roasted unsalted pistachios
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- Pinch of salt
For the orange-vanilla glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
- 1½ to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
1. Brown the butter
- Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking and swirling the pan until the butter smells nutty and the milk solids turn deep golden brown.
- Pour it into a bowl, including the browned bits, and cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Make the batter
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a separate bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together, then add the eggs and honey and beat for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale and thickened.
- Fold in the dry ingredients. Stir the orange juice into the brown butter, mix in about one-third of the batter, then fold this mixture back into the bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Make the orange-vanilla caramel
- Simmer the orange juice until reduced to ¼ cup (60 ml). Heat the cream with the vanilla seeds and pod until steaming, let it sit for 10 minutes, then remove the pod.
- Cook the sugar, corn syrup, and water without stirring until amber. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the warm cream and reduced orange juice. Return to low heat and cook to 230°F (110°C). Whisk in the butter and salt, then cool and refrigerate until pipeable.
4. Make the pistachio praline
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook the sugar, water, and corn syrup without stirring until golden amber. Stir in the pistachios and salt, then immediately spread over the parchment. Cool completely and break into small clusters.
5. Bake the madeleines
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Butter and flour the madeleine pan, then chill it for 15 minutes. Fill each mold about three-quarters full with cold batter.
- Place the pan in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers spring back when touched. Cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
6. Fill with caramel
- Once the madeleines are completely cool, pipe about 1 teaspoon of caramel through the thick end or flat side of each one. Stop before the caramel pushes back out or the cake begins to split.
7. Glaze and finish
- Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, salt, and 1½ tablespoons of orange juice together. Add a few more drops of juice if needed to make a thin dipping glaze.
- Dip the ridged side of each madeleine into the glaze and top immediately with a pistachio praline cluster. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Tips for the Best Orange Madeleines
- Keep the batter cold. The temperature difference between the chilled batter and hot oven encourages the madeleines to rise in the center.
- Reduce the orange juice for the caramel. Using unreduced juice adds too much water and produces a weak orange flavor.
- Watch the caramel’s color closely. A pale caramel will taste mostly sweet, while an overly dark one can overpower the orange and vanilla.
- Fill only after cooling. Warm madeleines absorb the caramel instead of holding it in the center.
- Do not overfill the molds. The batter needs room to rise without spilling over the edges.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
The assembled madeleines are best eaten the same day, while the praline is crisp and the cake is fresh. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
The caramel can be refrigerated for up to one week. Store the pistachio praline in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Unfilled madeleines can be frozen for up to one month, then thawed before filling and glazing.
