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Masala Chai Tea Madeleines

Aromatic and delicious madeleines infused with tea and spices. 

Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 madeleines
Author Laura

Ingredients

Masala Chai Tea Spice Blend

  • 2 wings star anise, pulverized in spice grinder or with mortar and pestle
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves about 1 large pinch
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Madeleines

  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted plus more for buttering the madeleine molds (1 stick) I made one batch with 5 tablespoons (instead of 8) which resulted in a crispier exterior. My husband liked them better.
  • 2 tablespoons Darjeeling or Assam (black) tea
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the madeleine molds
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda about 1 large pinch
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt about 1 large pinch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons masala chai spice blend
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-2 tablespoons confectioners sugar optional

Instructions

  1. Butter the madeleine molds well, then flour them lightly and set aside. 

    Madeleine molds buttered and floured

  2. Moisten the tea leaves with 2 tablespoons boiling water, stir, and add them to the hot, melted butter. Let the mixture steep and cool down for 15 minutes. Then use a strainer to press the tea leaves with the back of a spoon until all the of the buttery liquid is gathered in a bowl below the strainer. Discard the tea leaves and set aside the tea-infused butter. 

    Straining tea out of the melted butter for madeleines.

  3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the masala chai spice blend. Set aside.

  4. Using an electric mixer or fork, beat the egg, sour cream, and sugar together until blended. Add the vanilla and blend for a few more minutes. 

  5. Add the flour/chai spice mixture to the egg, sour cream, sugar and vanilla and stir until just combined. Add the cooled butter in a stream, mixing until just combined. The batter will be thick. 

  6. Spoon the batter into the madeleine molds or pipe it into the molds with a pastry bag or a plastic bag with a hole cut in one edge. Fill the molds only about 2/3 full. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the batter for one hour. If you have some batter left over, refrigerate it separately in a covered bowl or plasticware.

    Making madeleines by putting batter in molds.

  7. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the madeleines for 14 - 16 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Let the madeleines cool in the molds for 5 minutes, then unmold and continue cooling on a wire rack. If desired, once cooled, sprinkle them with confectioners sugar.