IMAGE ©Christine Loertscher - Poetic Road

Eggnog + Fennel Madeleines

with Vanilla Bean + Soft Eggnog Glaze
a sweet treat recipe
ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp fine salt
½ tsp ground fennel (crushed from fennel seeds)
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp white pepper
WET INGREDIENTS
1 vanilla bean (seeds only)
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp milk or eggnog
FOR THE PAN
Melted butter, for brushing
Flour, for dusting
SOFT EGGNOG GLAZE
½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
1-2 tsp milk or eggnog
pinch ground nutmeg
Eggnog + Fennel Madeleines
with Vanilla Bean + Soft Eggnog Glaze
a sweet treat recipe
With a lifelong passion for cooking Chris brings a unique blend of culinary expertise, creativity, and artistic flair to every dish. Driven by an insatiable curiosity and a desire to merge artistic vision with the culinary arts, Chris has found true fulfillment as a recipe developer and photographer. Through the lens of the camera, Chris skillfully captures the essence and beauty of each dish, transforming food into visual poetry. The result is a captivating fusion of flavors, textures, and aesthetics, inviting you to savor every moment. Follow Chris’s culinary adventures on Instagram at @poetic_road, or her blog poeticroad.com where the exquisite imagery and tantalizing recipes will inspire and delight your senses.
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a little bit about the recipe
Cozy and lightly spiced, these madeleines capture the gentle flavors of the holiday season. The fennel brings a soft sweetness, the nutmeg adds warmth, and the vanilla bean ties everything together in a delicate, elegant way. They’re tender and comforting - perfect with a quiet coffee break or to share in a box of small seasonal treats.
TIME (ACTIVE) | 20 M
TIME (INACTIVE) | 1 H
TOTAL | 1 H 20 M
18-24 SERVINGS | Madeleines
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
MADELEINE PAN
PASTRY BRUSH
directions

    Prep the vanilla:
  • Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds.

  • Set seeds aside.


  • Prepare the madeleine pan:
  • Brush each mold with melted butter and dust with a little flour.

  • Tap out the excess.

  • Place the pan in the fridge while you prepare the batter.


  • Mix the dry ingredients:
  • In a small bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder, salt, fennel, nutmeg, and white pepper.


  • Whip eggs, sugar + vanilla:
  • In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla seeds together until pale, thick, and slightly foamy (about 2–3 minutes).

  • Add the maple syrup and stir to combine.


  • Fold in the dry ingredients gently, just until no flour remains.

    Add the melted butter:
  • Stream it in slowly while folding, until glossy and smooth.

  • Add the milk (or eggnog) and fold again until just combined.


  • Rest the batter:
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

  • (This is what helps give the structure and the hump.)


  • Fill the molds:
  • Spoon or pipe the batter into the cold pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full.


  • Bake:
  • Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).

  • Place the filled cold pan directly into the hot oven.

  • Bake at 400°F for 2 minutes.

  • Without opening the oven, reduce temperature to 375°F (190°C).

  • Continue baking 6–8 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers are domed.


  • Glaze:
  • Cool madeleines for 5 minutes.

  • Brush or dip lightly with the soft eggnog glaze.

  • Let set briefly before serving.


expiry
Room Temperature: Store the madeleines (glazed or unglazed) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They are at their most tender on the day they are baked. Refreshing: If they soften or lose their light crispness, warm them without glaze in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 2–3 minutes to bring back their freshly baked texture. Glaze after refreshing, not before. Freezing: For best results, freeze the madeleines unglazed. Place cooled madeleines in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then refresh in a warm oven before adding the glaze.
tips
Chill both the batter and the pan. A cold batter going into a cold, buttered pan is what creates the classic madeleine hump. Don’t skip the rest time, it really does make the difference.

Don’t overfill the molds. Filling each cavity about three-quarters full gives the madeleines room to rise and form their characteristic dome without spilling over the edges.
ingredients in recipe
4.8
whole
Fennel has a warm and sweet flavor, similar to that of aniseed and licorice.
0.25 oz - PORTION$0.50
1.1 oz - JAR$4
1.1 oz - REFILL$3
6 oz - REFILL$11
0.25 oz - PORTION $0.50
5.0
ground
Nutmeg has a warm, sweet, slightly pungent aroma and taste. Ground nutmeg is a clumpy, light colored, orange-brown powder.
0.32 oz - PORTION$0.50
2 oz - JAR$6
0.32 oz - PORTION $0.50
5.0
ground
Use ground white peppercorn in any dish that you desire a savory kick while maintaining a consistent light color. Think: white sauces.
0.35 oz - PORTION$0.50
2 oz - JAR$7
2 oz - REFILL$6
8 oz - REFILL$14
0.35 oz - PORTION $0.50