Last Updated May 15th, 2018 at 05:16 pm by Lisa
Tropical Pineapple Coconut French Madeleines are sweet and moist. Pack for picnics, in school lunch boxes, and enjoy with breakfast tea or coffee.
The fresh pineapple and coconut make the madeleines moist, sweeter, and take you straight to an island paradise!
Today, my niece Kylie and I collaborated on the baking, photography, and styling for this tropical madeleine recipe adventure. We had so much fun, as aunt and niece. Two creative hearts that love to design, create, and eat yummy things. She is definitely a slice of me at that age, as I was a true 70’s gal, with her bell bottom paisley flair pants and Led Zeppelin T-shirt!
Kylie put the pineapple in the cracked coconut shell, genius right?
A plain shell shaped madeleine is delightful, so I thought why not bake fresh coconut and pineapple inside these little tea cakes and make them a tropical French tea cake?
While cracking the coconut shell open with a hammer, we got coconut water everywhere!
A Bit About Madeleines:
Madeleines are baked in pans with shell-shaped depressions. These pans are easily found online and at stores like HomeGoods, Williams-Sonoma, and Sur La Table. Other than the madeleine pan, no other fancy equipment is required for baking madeleines.
A génoise cake batter is used, and the flavor is similar to but somewhat lighter than sponge cake. Traditional recipes typically include very finely ground nuts, usually almonds. A variation uses lemon zest, for a pronounced lemony taste. Variations on the flavors are unlimited!
Baking Tips for Madeleines:
Make Sure Madeleines Don’t Stick in the Pan: Even in a non-stick pan, brush a bit of melted butter and dust with flour. Or, spray with Coconut Oil non-stick spray before filling the batter into the pan, use a small pastry brush to get softened butter into every crevice of the scallop shells. It will prevent sticking and help achieve a golden color on the baked madeleines.
Sift Dry Ingredients: Puts air into the mixture and prevent lumps. Why Fold? Don’t stir (which will deflate the batter). Instead, place a rubber spatula into the bowl’s center. Cut through to the edge, lift, and turn batter over flour gently. Give the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat until flour is mixed into the batter. Filling Batter into the Pan: A pastry bag (or ziplock bag with the corner cut off) will make the quickest, neatest work of filling the prepared molds three-quarters full. Two spoons or a small ice cream scoop will also work.
Unmolding the Madeleines: Tap the back of the pan, and the madeleines will pop right out. If any stick, use a small knife to release them out of the pan.
Pan: I used a Nonstick madeleine pan, it was about $25 from Sur La Table. Make Ahead: The batter can be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Use Room-temperature eggs: Triple in volume when beaten, cold eggs don’t. If you forget, submerge whole eggs in warm water for 10 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
- 2 tablespoon melted butter to grease the pan or coconut oil non-stick spray
- 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3 extra-large eggs room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush melted butter and flour the madeleine pans covering all the shells molds and tap the excess flour out of the pan.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until light yellow and fluffy. After beating, the eggs and sugar will be pale and fluffy-smooth. Watch for the "ribbon" stage. When the beater is raised, a thick ribbon will slowly fall back into the bowl.
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Add 1 stick melted and cooled butter and blend in mixer for 1 minute, turn off mixer.
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Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, and fold into the batter with a rubber spatula. (see notes on folding technique).
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Stir in the pineapple and coconut.
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Fill each shell 3/4 full with batter using a small ice cream scoop or 2 spoons.
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Preheat the oven to 375. Bake on center rack 15 minutes for large madeleines and 8-10 minutes for mini madeleines.
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Madeleines are done when they puff up,spring back when pressed slightly, with golden brown edges.
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Tap the madeleines out on a baking rack or piece of parchment paper and allow to cool.
Baking Tips for Madeleines: Make Sure Madeleines don't stick in the pan: Even in a non-stick pan, brush a bit of melted butter and dust with flour. Or, spray with Coconut Oil non-stick spray before filling the batter into the pan, use a small pastry brush to get softened butter into every crevice of the scallop shells. It will prevent sticking and help achieve a golden color on the baked madeleines. Sift Dry Ingredients: Puts air into the mixture and prevent lumps. Why Fold? Don't stir (which will deflate the batter). Instead, place a rubber spatula into the bowl's center. Cut through to the edge, lift, and turn batter over flour. Give bowl a quarter turn, and repeat until flour is mixed into the batter. Filling Batter into the Pan: A pastry bag (or ziplock bag with corner cut off) will make the quickest, neatest work of filling the prepared molds three-quarters full. Two spoons or a small ice cream scoop will also work. Unmolding the Madeleines: Tap the back of the pan, and the madeleines will pop right out. If any stick, use a small knife to release them out of the pan. Pan: I used a Nonstick madeleine pan, it was about $25 from Sur La Table. Make Ahead: The batter can be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Use Room-temperature eggs: Triple in volume when beaten, cold eggs don't. If you forget, submerge whole eggs in warm water for 10 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
History of Madeleines:
Some sources say madeleines may have been named for a 19th-century pastry cook, Madeleine Paulmier, a cook in the 18th century for Stanisław Leszczyński, whose son-in-law, Louis XV of France, named after her.
The story goes that Louis XV called this tiny cake “Madeleine” for the first time in 1755 in honor of his father-in-law’s cook Paulmier.
Louis’ XV wife then introduced them to the court of Versailles and they quickly became loved all over France. Marcel Proust, a well-known author, describes Madeleines as “a little shell of cake, so generously sensual beneath the piety of its stern pleating…”
Another Version of Madeleine History:
The Larousse Gastronomique offers another version of the history of the Madeleine. This story says the madeleine name came from Jean Avice, the “master of choux pastry,” who worked as a pastry chef for Prince Talleyrand. Avice is said to have invented the Madeleine in the 19th century by baking little cakes in aspic moulds. The small portions and pretty shapes meant the madeleines baked quickly and could be delivered right to the table without embellishment.
We will never know the true story of how madeleines came to be, but we do know these little cakes have been enjoyed for hundreds of years. And we will continue to love them for their simple pretty shell shape with a cup of coffee or tea.
Treat yourself to a nice madeleine pan, or find the one you already have. Go ahead and bake a plate of these beautiful Pineapple Coconut French Madeleines with someone you love… laugh, create and make something yummy!
A day completely filled with love, laughter, baking, and creating. Thank you Kylie for all your help today, and always! Aunt Lili XOXOXOXO PS-Isn’t she a doll?
All the Best,
Lisa
XO
Another fun dessert to try, S’more Mini Skillet Chocolate Chip Pizookie Cookies….
A few ingredients made amazing Cherry Chocolate Chunk Heart Hand Pies…
I will eat anything that is pineapple-coconut flavored. And a baked good? If I must … 😉 These do not disappoint and went oh so well with my Kona coffee. Self-indulgent me moment? Yes please. (Thanks!)