These little savory cakes combine briny green olives with fresh lemon and fragrant rosemary. Serve them warm as a starter or first bite with a glass of aperitif.
Madeleines are known for their shell shape and golden-brown edges, but that shape needn’t be reserved for sweet batter. In this savory version, green olives give the cakes a salty flavor and a soft, meaty bite. Lemon zest keeps that briny character fresh, while rosemary adds a resinous, herbal note. A little Parmesan makes the batter richer and brings the flavors together without overpowering the olives.
Olives vary quite a bit in saltiness. Taste one before adding salt to the batter, and rinse them briefly if they taste exceptionally salty. Pat them thoroughly dry and chop them finely: large pieces make the batter uneven and can leave one spot in a cake dense. Pitted green olives are fine, as long as you remove the pits first. A robust, not-too-fruity olive oil pairs well with the lemon and rosemary; a strongly bitter oil can make the cakes taste sharp.
The madeleine pan creates thin edges that brown faster than the center. Grease each well carefully, even if the pan is nonstick, so the cakes release cleanly after baking. A short rest for the batter helps the flour absorb moisture and makes it easier to portion neatly. Don’t fill the wells to the rim: the batter rises and needs room to form its characteristic hump. Near the end of the baking time, pay particular attention to the color of the edges, as they can darken quickly.
A metal madeleine pan generally gives the clearest browning. If you use a silicone pan, set it on a sturdy baking sheet and bear in mind that the edges may stay a little paler. If you don’t have a madeleine pan, you can bake the batter in a greased mini muffin pan; the flavor will still shine, although the shape will be different and the baking time may be a little longer. Chop the rosemary finely so the leaves don’t end up as tough little sprigs in the cakes.
Serve the madeleines warm, for example alongside marinated vegetables or a simple salad, as a starter for four people. They also go well with a glass of dry white wine or vermouth. You can bake them earlier in the day: let them cool and store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Warm them for a few minutes in a low-temperature oven before serving. This makes the edges a little crispier again. Don’t leave baked cakes at room temperature for an extended period.
Melt the butter and carefully grease the wells of a madeleine pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you make the batter. Preheat the oven to 200 °C, conventional heat (top and bottom).
Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl. In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.
Stir the olive oil and milk into the eggs. Add the flour mixture and stir briefly until smooth. Fold in the Parmesan, olives, lemon zest and rosemary.
Let the batter rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Then spoon it into the wells of the pan, filling them about three-quarters full.
Bake the madeleines for 8–10 minutes, until risen and the edges are golden brown. Leave them in the pan for 2 minutes, then carefully remove them. Serve warm.
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