Quick answer: The madeleine hump forms through thermal shock. Chill the batter well, keep the pan cold, and bake in a fully preheated hot oven so the cold center rises into a dome. A warm batter, warm pan, or cool oven can cause madeleines to turn out flat with no hump.
The madeleine hump or bump is a signature of the authentic madeleine pastry. Let's find out what makes iconic French cakes rise and how to get the perfect humpy madeleines.
This post is a part of my Madeleine series in tribute to this iconic French pastry and all that it means, from madeleine definition, its fascinating history, choosing the right ingredients, madeleine pan, and storage suggestions, you name it!
Like it or not, the perfect French madeleine is not a madeleine worthy of the name if it does not have its famous hump or bump on top.
Madeleines, a treat dating back to the 18th century, are associated with France. But it is unknown whether the madeleine bump (la bosse des madeleines in French) was as crucial when the madeleine was born.
Another question is, how did these small buttery cakes become so loved around the world over time?
Who knows... The answer may be found in its most iconic component: la bosse, which gives these tender, shell-like treats their signature texture and round top.
However, while many aspects of madeleine baking have changed over time (for example, the weight decreased), one thing still agitates bakers.
As per WNYC,
that dome has become the holy grail of madeleine bakers.
Why? Because the madeleine's bump is a sign of quality: it is linked to well-controlled baking.
So what are the secrets of bumpy madeleines? Or how to avoid flat madeleines when their hump isn't even on the horizon?
Baking powder
Flat madeleines often result from using the wrong ingredients. Baking powder is a crucial element of the madeleine recipe because it helps form a pretty bump on top of the madeleines.
You may not know it, but you should be particular with your baking powder: the brand you buy and the expiration date.
You can't underestimate the power of baking powder. However, if you are unsure which kind to get, go with aluminum-free baking powder.
The difference in taste will be noticeable across all your favorite dishes like cakes, quick breads, cookies, muffins, etc.
They will turn out just as good without any weird bitter, "tinny" flavor, so there is no reason not to switch now, since it will improve your madeleine baking too.
It is also essential to respect the expiration date of your baking powder. Sometimes the product works even after its "best before" date, but you will need to test whether your baking powder is still good to use.
The best way to make sure you are using active baking powder is to see whether it boils vigorously in your saucepan. Add a teaspoonful of baking powder to a ½ cup of boiling water and watch.
If it boils, the powder is still good. However, if there is no reaction, this isn't active anymore.
Although David Lebovitz says that "baking powder shouldn't even be in the same room with madeleines," it does work to make a nice hump on top of madeleines.
Madeleine pan
How to choose the right madeleine mold? What is the best madeleine pan to bake these delicate cakes? Is it metal or silicone?
Most pastry chefs choose metal molds over silicone ones. This is because metal molds conduct heat much better than silicone molds.
In the end, you will get better contrast between the inside and outside of your cakes.
For your madeleines to develop a nice bump, they must be "seized" as soon as you bring them to the oven.
So only a metal mold lets you achieve bakery-quality madeleines. But can you bake cakes in a silicone mold? Yes, and yes.
For example, while French chefs Christophe Michalak and Phillip Conticini are fond of metal madeleine pans, Guy Demarle loves his professional-quality silicone molds.
One thing is for sure: the madeleines have a less significant bump with flat-bottomed molds than with classic molds.
While it's up to you which available madeleine mold suits your needs, many other factors contribute to getting a nice, pillowy hump.
Filling your madeleine pan
To give your madeleines a nice bump (la belle bosse in French), the degree of filling of the madeleine mold must be correctly assessed.
The result will vary depending on the cavities' shape, width, and depth. For example, fill narrow, deep indentations only ¾ full. Conversely, if your mold has larger, deeper cavities, you will need to fill them a bit more.
But if you fill the pan cavities to the brim, you will have trouble with bump formation. The dough will overflow, and the madeleines will be flattened.
This won't impact the taste of your cakes, but it would be a shame if their appearance spoils the taste.
The best way to fill the pan's cavities is to fill it about ¾ full. It is about a good tablespoon of the batter.
In general, a couple of test batches will let you evaluate your madeleine pan and adjust the filling accordingly.
Pipe the batter with a pastry bag, as Sebastien Rouxel and Roger Pizey suggest, but it might be easier to spoon it. Then, choose your way of filling the molds.
How do madeleines get their hump?
The answer is short: the thermal shock is the main force that makes madeleines rise and form the bump!
Thermal shock is created between the temperature of the cold batter and the oven's heat. The colder your batter, the greater the thermal shock.
Bringing a cold madeleine pan filled with cold batter to the hot oven can help ensure the famous bump forms and never falls.
Take advantage of this recipe and refrigerate the batter overnight, or even better, for 24 hours.
If you don't have time to wait 12 to 24 hours before enjoying your dessert, chilling for 1 to 2 hours is a must. This helps optimize the formation of the hump.
Also, David Lebovitz recommends freezing the prepared madeleine mold before filling it with batter.
After chilling the madeleine batter, fill the mold cavities and refrigerate the pan (filled with batter) for one hour.
If you're in a hurry, you can reduce the time to 15 to 30 minutes or even skip this step. Next, bring the cold mold with batter to the hot oven.
Baking madeleines
French chef Christophe Felder and the blogger and juror for Best Pastry Chef, Madam Mercotte, advise placing a madeleine pan on a baking rack in the middle of the oven and not on a baking sheet. This allows heat to circulate evenly around the madeleine mold.
Philippe Conticini, a well-known chef and owner of several successful patisseries in France, says that you should put a cold pan onto the very hot baking sheet.
So, there are two contrary opinions on where to place the madeleine pan. Which one to prefer?
Heat distribution seems essential, since you want vertical baking to make the madeleines rise. So, if you use a baking sheet, the heat won't rise properly.
Everything should be tested and re-tested, but what is for sure is that Conticini's madeleines have respectable bumps.
Also, there is a tip the kitchen gods whisper: it's never, ever worth opening your oven while you are baking madeleines, especially during the first minutes!
Why? Because temperature fluctuations can prevent madeleines from puffing up.
Temperature regimens
Preheating the oven and letting it heat for another 10 minutes is essential to create thermal shock when you bring in your madeleines.
Lowering the oven temperature during baking is also crucial to forming a well-defined bump on top of these little cakes.
Let's look at a few pastry chefs who have their own way of doing it.
French chef Philippe Conticini bakes his madeleines at 435 °F/225 °C for 6 minutes, then lowers the oven to 355 °F/180 °C and bakes for another 5 to 6 minutes.
Pierre Herme's version is a bit different. First, he bakes the madeleines at 425 °F/220 °C for 5 minutes, then lowers the oven temperature to 390 °F/200 °C and bakes them for 10 more minutes.
Cédric Grolet advises baking madeleines at 410 °F/210 °C. After 3 minutes of baking, he rotates the mold and bakes another 3 minutes. Then he turns off the oven for 1 minute, turns it back on (always at 410 °F/210 °C), and bakes for 5 minutes longer.
School of Alaine Ducasse suggests baking madeleines at 425 °F/220 °C for 3 minutes, then switching off the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The madeleines will get that famous hump on top. Next, turn the oven to 320 °F/160 °C for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Madeleines are a delicate pastry that needs careful handling. Whatever temperature regimen you choose, bake the madeleines until golden brown.
Why don't my madeleines have a hump?
Flat madeleines almost always come down to a missing temperature contrast rather than a bad recipe. If your madeleines bake up flat, run through this short checklist before blaming the recipe.
The batter was too warm. If the batter is not properly chilled, there is no cold center to react against the oven's heat, so the hump never develops. Rest the batter in the fridge, and chill the filled pan again just before baking.
The oven was not hot enough. A hump needs a hot start. If the oven is under temperature or you open the door mid-bake, the drop in heat stops the rise. Preheat fully and check with an oven thermometer.
The pan was warm or overfilled. A warm mold works against the thermal shock, and cavities filled to the brim leave no room for the batter to dome. Use a cold pan and fill each cavity about three-quarters full.
Give it a try
Now it's your turn to find the best way of baking madeleines. The outcome will vary depending on your experience, the oven you have access to, the quality of the madeleine ingredients, and the madeleine pan you choose.
Ovens are different. A conventional oven produces more consistent results than one with a convection fan. Excessive ventilation can deform your madeleines.
Often, you'll need to test and adjust the oven temperature for the best results. I recommend checking the oven temperature with an instant-read oven thermometer before baking your madeleines.
FAQ
Why don't my madeleines have a hump?
The most common reasons are batter that is too warm, an oven that is not hot enough, and a warm pan. Without a sharp temperature contrast between the cold batter and the hot oven, the hump never forms.
Does the batter really need to be cold?
Yes. Chilling the batter for at least a few hours (ideally overnight) is one of the biggest factors. Cold batter hitting a hot oven creates the thermal shock that pushes the center up into a hump.
Do you need baking powder for the hump?
Baking powder helps, but temperature matters more. Fresh baking powder gives the batter lift, yet even a good leavener will fall flat if the batter and pan are warm or the oven is too cool.
Madeleine recipes
You can't just make well-domed, soft madeleines on the fly at the last minute.
Understand the ingredients and how they work, then choose an appropriate pan for this delicate dessert, which takes patience to perfect. Then take your time, with care at every step, until you get it right.
Also, download the FREE FAQ Guide to perfect madeleines.
And finally, here is the best madeleine recipe if you want to succeed. It has been tested and re-tested so many times that it works every single time from day one.
If you want to try twists on classic madeleines, try the recipes below:
Sharon says
Hello!! Mine are in the oven - following your 425F, then oven off, etc. They have HUGE humps!! I added chocolate to the sifted flour. We shall see! Testing out my brand new (first time using) carbon steel non-stick Madeleine pan. So far, so good. Thank you very much!
Irina says
Hello Sharon, I'm jumping now reading about your success with madeleine humps! Thanks!
Kay says
My first try at madeleines humped up nicely, but the bottoms over-browned. Should I lower the initial temp to 400 degrees or shorten the time to 2 minutes?
Irina says
Hello Kay, Congratulations on the bump! The ovens are different, unfortunately. Don't touch the temperature, please. Try to decrease the last minutes first. The first minutes of the formula are essential, but you can also try to reduce the second step baking time by 1 minute when the oven is off. With some experimenting, you'll find a way to get to know your oven better. One more thing, though. Try to check the oven temperature with an oven thermometer. Often, the display shows one temperature that doesn't correspond with the inner oven temperature. I hope this helps.
Nicole says
I did 425 for 3 minutes then 375 for 7…. They came out so moist in the center and crisp on the outside.. huge humps!
Irina says
Hello Nicole, I am happy to hear that!!! Great success!!
Shannon says
Hello Irina, how long do I hand whisk the eggs and sugar? May I use a stand mixer to whisk, and how long?
Irina Totterman says
Hello Shannon, No, you don't need to use a stand mixer. Beat eggs and sugar with a hand whisk for 1-2 minutes. That's it! Happy baking!
Shannon says
Is chestnut honey optional? What is the best chestnut honey substitute?
Natasha says
I've got excellent humps on my madeleines, but I don't have any scallop ridges from the pan - they are smooth on both sides. What did I do wrong, and how do I fix it?
Irina Totterman says
Hello Natasha, getting the hump is an impressive achievement! Congratulations!! Regarding scallop ridges from the pan, it's an issue with the mold. There is nothing wrong with the recipe and your skills. I would recommend to try another mold.
Farah says
Hi Irina, I’ve made madeleines many times before but today was the first time I followed your ideal temperature formula of 3 + 8 + 4. My madeleines turned out to have the biggest humps ever! So happy to have tried this formula as I will be baking for a friend in a few days time! Thank you!
Irina Totterman says
Hello Farah, I am so happy to hear that!!! Enjoy!