Sugar Free Brown Butter & Sea Salt Madeleines
You know those times when you wish you could go back and do things differently? I feel that way now about growing up in France and Belgium. I didn’t fully appreciate it (as no child ever does), and as a full-fledged foodie now, I sometimes wish I could go back and just taste. Enjoy the culinary delights of a very well known foodie country, and one lesser known, but still full of gorgeous foods I simply did not enjoy properly as a teenager.
I would have strayed outside of the safe waffles & chips zone of Belgium to more thoroughly enjoy the fresh tasty seafood, delicious vegetables, chicory dishes and creamy sauces. I would have sampled even darker chocolate than I had a taste for at the time. I would have picked the beautiful fresh fish displayed outside the restaurants just off La Grande Place rather than just stared at them awkwardly and ordered “frites” again.
And France. Well, what isn’t there to enjoy about French food?
One of the delightful treats I remember of France, that my mum still makes for us to this day, is madeleines. Somewhere between a biscuit and a cake, this tea-time shell-shaped treat was one my husband first tasted after one of my mother’s baking sessions, and he was instantly hooked. And I can’t blame him. It happened to me, too. Soft, sweet, cakey but small, indulgent but light. They are very buttery, and very good.
Of course, they do contain sugar. Some more than others. They make a delicious once-in-a-while treat. But when you are trying to reduce your sugar intake, they probably won’t help matters. So I tested and tried and tweaked until I came up with my favourite madeleine yet – a sugar free one. Nutty, salty sweet, and every bit as tasty as the original.
I can make myself a cafe au lait and the kids a sugar free chocolate milk, warmed through to resemble the chocolat chaud of my childhood, dip these mini cakes in our hot drinks, and in one bite be transported to France.
I was given a madeleine tin (this one) by my mother many years ago, to carry on the family baking tradition. But the truth is, even if she hadn’t bought it for me, I would have got myself one. In fact, when I moved to a house that had an oven too small for my big tray, I bought this mini madeleine tray instead. I hate kitchen clutter. I don’t like unnecessary appliances and accessories in the kitchen. If something is going to take up my cupboard or counter space, it needs to earn its keep and be multi-functional or used often (as anyone who has read my 8 Kitchen Tools I Couldn’t Do Without page probably knows by now). But I make an exception for the madeleine tin. It has more than earned its keep in the amount of times we have made them, but there is something so beautiful, nostalgic and enticing about the shell shape of the cakes, and it just wouldn’t be the same without a simple tin that costs so little but makes these treats special.
However, if you do not have a madeleine tin and do not fancy buying one, you can make these in fairy cake cases in a muffin or cupcake tin. They will still taste buttery and sweet and delicious. Perfect served warm with a cup of tea or coffee for dipping in.
However you choose to enjoy them, why not snap a picture and tag me (@raisingsugarfreekids) in it on Instagram or share it on the Facebook group? I’d love to see how they turn out! 🙂
An elegant, posh-tasting treat that is simple to make and delicious to eat, but is sugar free and cheap. A take on a traditional sugary French mini-cake.
- 90 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 3 medium eggs + 1 medium egg yolk
- 50 g (1/4 cup) xylitol
- 1 tsp sugar free vanilla extract
- 140 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt (+ more for sprinkling)
- 55 g (2oz) 85-90% dark chocolate, optional
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First, make the brown butter by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Allow to bubble away for a few mins, swirling the pan every so often and keeping a close eye to make sure it doesn't burn. The butter should start to separate from the milk solids (white bits) and then start to bubble furiously. At this point, check it often and remove from the heat as soon as it darkens and smells nutty. Better to take it off a little too early than too late! Pour the brown, nutty butter into a cold bowl and chill in the fridge or freezer while you make the batter to get it to room temperature-ish. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease a madeleine or mini madeleine tray.
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Whisk the eggs, yolk, xylitol and vanilla until pale and doubled in size (about 3-5 mins with an electric beater or stand mixer on high speed). In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and 1 tsp sea salt, then sift through a sieve into the egg mixture and fold in gently with a spatula until there are no more flecks of flour visible. Pour in the butter slowly through the same sieve and fold in gently until just combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared tray (about 1 tbsp per madeleine or 1 tsp per mini madeleines) and sprinkle with a little extra sea salt, if you like. Bake for 10-12 mins for madeleines (or fairy cakes) or 5-7 mins for mini madeleines. Allow to cool completely.
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Serve cold with a hot cup of tea, or to make extra tasty sweeter madeleines, dip in melted 85-90% dark chocolate and sprinkle with a little extra sea salt.
