Most of us regard the madeleine as a tiny sponge cake shaped like a seashell, sometimes with one end dipped in chocolate, and often found wrapped in plastic and sold by the register at Starbucks. That is not a madeleine. Nor would it provoke lost childhood memories à la Proust. What a madeleine should be is the concern of Romain Thibault, whose madeleines are so good that they are baked to order and served warm as dessert at Jouvence in Paris.

How exceptional can a madeleine be? Fair question, and one I was asking myself as I sat at the bar watching Thibault go through the recipe. Three points stood out: there is no leavening, the egg whites are barely whipped, and he uses both almond and all-purpose flour. The result is a madeleine with a crisp, shell-like exterior and an almost custardy interior. These madeleines are close to perfection.

Here is the step-by-step method. Thibault whisks together sugar and egg whites by hand, just until frothy (not to peaks), then whisks in almond flour, followed by the French equivalent of AP flour. He then slowly incorporates browned butter until the mixture is emulsified and finally adds orange zest. He whisks the batter vigorously after adding each ingredient, which helps with the final texture. At this point the batter goes in the fridge overnight, just like popover batter, before being piped into a cold metal madeleine pan and baked in a 400°F oven for just 15 minutes.

The madeleines are immediately removed from the pan (Thibault uses a spoon to loosen any that stick) and served warm after a 5-minute rest. Although some here at Milk Street said that the madeleines are fine cooled and served at room temperature, I disagree. When warm, the crust is crispier and the interior softer and more custardy.

Another curious aspect of this recipe is that the egg whites are beaten until frothy but not stiff. This is consistent with many European torte recipes, as well as sponge cakes and classic American white cake. The point is that egg whites, even if not beaten to volume, provide lift without the aid of a chemical leavener.

I was struck by the recipe’s simplicity. Everything is done by hand in two bowls. It is also an excellent make-ahead recipe. You can serve the cakes for dessert without much last-minute work. And when you bite into the perfect madeleine, with the classic round belly, you are greeted with a crisp outer crust and then your teeth sink into a warm, almost custardy interior. These madeleines are as close to divine as you can get in the kitchen and more than worthy of a line or two from Proust.

Christopher Kimball

Christopher Kimball is founder of Milk Street, which produces Milk Street Magazine, Milk Street Television on PBS, and the weekly public radio show Milk Street Radio. He founded Cook’s Magazine in 1980 and was host and executive producer of America’s Test Kitchen until 2016. Kimball is the author of several books, including "The Yellow Farmhouse" and "Fannie’s Last Supper."