La Madeleine, its history and our best addresses

Madeleine is thought to have originated in the Middle Ages, when it was offered to pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela by a young girl named Madeleine. The egg cake would then have been molded in a scallop shell. It would seem, however, that Commercy in Lorraine is the birthplace of this creation.

As is often the case, it's a story of kings, banquets and cuisine. In 1755, Stanislas Leszczynski, Duke of Lorraine, was in need of dessert at a dinner party. It was then that Madeleine Paulmier, young maid to the Commercy-born Marquise Perrottin de Beaumont, came up with the recipe she had inherited from her grandmother. The little cake earned its letters of nobility and made its way to Paris. Thanks to Marcel Proust, the madeleine became a symbol of the memory of times gone by. Here's our selection of the moment.

Christophe Louie, Paris

At Christophe Louis, madeleines are plump. Covered with a slightly sweet and sticky Iranian orange blossom glaze, their texture is extremely soft. Made with honey, butter, eggs, orange zest, Madagascar vanilla and orange blossom, they're irresistible! With a sweet coating that's slightly crunchy on the outside and an ultra-melting madeleine inside, it's impossible to resist the temptation!

• Where? 12 Rue Dupetit-Thouars, 75003 Paris
• www.christophelouie.com

salome Rateau

Lucas Simoncini, Hôtel Royal-Riviera, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

A Sunday brunch favorite, the madeleines recipe is enriched with honey and milk for suppleness, and lemon and olive oil for a Provencal touch. "We have orange, chocolate topped with vanilla caramel and fleur de sel or marbled variations, but most of the time, we make them with riviera lemon chosen from a small local producer. To enhance the taste, we also add a touch of olive oil in place of some of the butter," explains Lucas Simoncini, our head pastry chef. Yet another reason to go for brunch on the Côte.

• Where? 3 Avenue Jean Monnet, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat,
• www.royal-riviera.com

l. Simoncini

Gilles Marchal, in Paris

Gilles Marchal brought them back into fashion some ten years ago. "Everywhere I've been, I've made this little cake from Lorraine, but it was when I opened my store that the madeleine really took off. I started out with classic tastes - chocolate, plain, lemon, orange, pistachio - but today I have around 70 different kinds of madeleine that I vary according to the season - chestnut, fir tree honey and orange paste like gingerbread, lime, thyme flower, strawberry basil -. In the mornings, children come for marbled madeleines instead of the traditional pain au chocolat, that's saying something!" Gilles Marchal doesn't hesitate to offer savoury versions, with black truffles or Gillardeau oysters for the festive season. Some of the best!

• Where? 9 Rue Ravigan, 75018 Paris 18
• www.gillesmarchal.com

dR

Desty Brami, Madeleine by Ferrières, Ferrières-en-Brie

Here, we're generous: madeleines are made in family size! Desty Brami doesn't hesitate to experiment with different tastes. "I make a chocolate madeleine enriched with a feuilletine praline, a chocolate cream and a hazelnut praline, with the added gourmet touch of caramelized hazelnuts. I also offer a water-glazed lemon version in which I combine lemon and hazelnuts." to be discovered fissa.

• Where? 1 Avenue Joseph Paxton, 77164 Ferrières-en-Brie
• www.madeleinebyferrieres.fr

© DR

L'entremets Madeleine, François Perret, Ritz Paris

François Perret loves to interpret the great pastry classics. The madeleine has become his signature. While it's available in a classic version, we're particularly fond of his entremets, with their uniquely stylized shape and regularly changing flavors. " The first version was made with chestnut honey, but I've since added raspberry, grapefruit, passion fruit, chocolate and even lemon". A light version, the entremets consist of a very light Savoy cookie, a lightly lemony whipped cream and a deliciously crunchy crumble. The madeleines are available at the Paris Ritz Le Comptoir boutique.

• Where? 38 Rue Cambon, 75001 Paris
• www.ritzparislecomptoir.com

bernhard Winkelmann