I adore baked treats that hide a delicious surprise inside — think puddings filled with lemon curd, cookies with molten chocolate, or madeleines with a silky custard center. These gluten-free madeleines are taken to the next level by piping in a smooth homemade vanilla bean custard. The classic buttery scallop-shaped cakes become impossibly tender and flavourful; a truly magnifique bite.
This recipe benefits from a little planning. You can prepare the batter a day ahead and rest it in the refrigerator; chilling helps the madeleines rise into a light, airy sponge. The custard must also be cooked and fully chilled before filling. If you pipe warm custard into warm madeleines, the sponge will absorb it — so make sure the custard is cold. If you prefer a tangy alternative, lemon curd makes a delightful filling: the citrus cuts through the buttery cake beautifully.
When filling the moulds, don’t overfill. The batter will rise and spread while baking, so spoon the mixture into the centre of each shell, leaving room for expansion.
- Madeleines
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 120 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean extract
- 130 g (1 cup) plain gluten-free flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 120 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- Cinnamon icing sugar, for dusting
- Vanilla Bean Custard
- 40 g caster sugar
- 250 g full‑cream milk
- 25 g cornflour, sifted
- 2 eggs
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- To make the custard, warm the milk with the vanilla seeds and pod in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer. In a bowl whisk the eggs, sugar and cornflour until smooth. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan. Stir over low heat for a few minutes until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin forming, and refrigerate until completely chilled.
- For the madeleines, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl for 3–4 minutes until pale and slightly thickened.
- Gently fold in the sifted gluten-free flour, baking powder and salt, then fold in the cooled melted butter until just combined.
- Cover and refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight to firm—this helps produce the characteristic hump.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a madeleine pan with butter and lightly dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Spoon the batter into each shell, mounding slightly in the centre to allow room for rising.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and the edges are lightly golden. Remove the madeleines from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- While still warm, use a piping bag to inject cold custard into the flat side of each madeleine. Twist the madeleine gently as you fill to avoid splitting the sponge. Dust with cinnamon icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
- To make custard in the Thermomix, place the sugar in the bowl and mill 10 sec/speed 9. Add the vanilla seeds, eggs, cornflour, sugar and milk and cook 6 min/90°C/speed 4. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill until cold.
- For the madeleines, add eggs, sugar and vanilla to the clean Thermomix bowl and mix speed 6 for 2 minutes.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix 10 sec/speed 3. With the machine running, slowly pour in the cooled melted butter and mix on speed 3 until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes or overnight to firm.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare the madeleine pan with butter and flour, tapping out the excess. Spoon the batter into the moulds, mounding slightly in the centre of each shell.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Pipe chilled custard into the flat side of each warm madeleine, twisting gently as you fill to prevent splitting. Dust with cinnamon icing sugar and serve.