Nothing beats pulling a batch of ube madeleines out of the oven while they are still warm, with a soft crumb and a deep purple coat. These little ridged shells, emblems of French baking, take on a whole new dimension when you slip in a spoonful of ube powder. At Ubedia we work exclusively with the Kinampay purple yam, grown in the Visayas in the Philippines: a variety known for its intense natural colour and its delicate notes of vanilla and hazelnut. In other words, it was made for the madeleine. No colouring needed: the lavender shade comes from the root alone, and its gently sweet aroma pairs beautifully with beurre noisette. In this guide you will find the full recipe for ube madeleines, the exact quantities, the secret of that famous hump and our tips for a striking purple with every bake. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced baker, these ube madeleines will surprise your guests and turn a simple teatime into something out of the ordinary. Put on your apron: let's get into the kitchen.
The ingredient behind this recipe: Natural Ube Powder 200 g — 16.90 € (≈50 drinks), 100% purple yam, no additives, shipped from Aix-en-Provence within 72 h.
Why make ube madeleines?
The classic madeleine is already a small pleasure; the ube madeleine adds a spectacular colour and a soft flavour, somewhere between vanilla and chestnut. It is the ideal recipe for introducing ube to people who do not know it yet: the format is familiar and reassuring, and the visual effect always lands. Ube powder slips into the batter without upsetting its balance — it replaces a small part of the flour and brings its natural tint. The result: madeleines as pretty as they are good, perfect for a birthday, a brunch or simply to brighten up a rainy afternoon. And because purple yam is naturally low in sugar, you stay in control of how much sugar you use.
The ingredients for your ube madeleines
For about 20 madeleines — Preparation: 20 min · Resting: 1 h · Baking: 10 min.
- 2 whole eggs (at room temperature)
- 90 g sugar
- 100 g wheat flour
- 2 heaped tablespoons of ube powder (about 15 g)
- 100 g unsalted butter
- Half a sachet of baking powder (5 g)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
One last ingredient is invisible but essential: the cold. It is the thermal shock between a batter well rested in the fridge and a hot oven that gives the ube madeleine its characteristic hump.
The ube madeleine recipe step by step
- Melt the butter over a low heat until it takes on a light hazelnut colour, then let it cool a little.
- Whisk the eggs with the sugar and the pinch of salt until the mixture pales and doubles in volume.
- Sift the flour, the baking powder and the ube powder together, then fold them gently into the egg-and-sugar mixture. The batter immediately takes on a lovely purple hue.
- Add the cooled beurre noisette and the vanilla, then mix until the batter is smooth and even.
- Cover the bowl and chill the batter for at least 1 hour (ideally overnight). This rest is the secret of a good hump.
- Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Butter and flour the madeleine moulds if necessary, then fill each shell three-quarters full.
- Put them in the oven, turn it down to 200 °C immediately and bake for 9 to 11 minutes: the edges should be golden and the hump well formed.
- Turn them out onto a rack while still warm. Your ube madeleines are ready to eat.
The secret of the hump and of the natural purple
Two details make all the difference. First the hump: it comes from the contrast between a very cold batter and a very hot oven. So never skip the resting time, and do not open the oven door while they bake. Then the colour: the purple shade of your ube madeleines depends entirely on the quality of the powder. A well-concentrated purple yam powder, like the Kinampay variety, gives a clear lavender with no additives at all. During baking the colour may dim slightly — that is normal, and a sign of a 100% natural product. To get your ube powder dose right, count on about two tablespoons per batch: any more and the batter turns dry.
Which ube powder should you choose for your madeleines?
The success of your ube madeleines starts with the raw material. Not all powders are equal: some are blended down or barely colour at all. Ubedia powder is 100% purple yam, a single ingredient, from direct sourcing with growers in the Visayas, with full traceability from field to pouch, batch by batch. With no additives and no added sugar, it delivers an intense colour and an authentic Kinampay flavour. For regular baking, the 200 g size offers the best value for quantity. Want to try other sweet pairings? The Duo Rituel (200 g natural + one 100 g flavour of your choice) lets you vary the pleasure — with the coconut or vanilla flavour, for instance, to scent your madeleines subtly. New to ube? Our ube powder buying guide will help you pick the right size.
Tempting variations
Once you have mastered the base recipe, have fun with it. Dip your ube madeleines halfway into melted white chocolate for a creamy contrast. Add the zest of a lime for a fresh note. Slip a molten heart of homemade ube halaya into the centre of each shell before baking for a soft surprise. You can also replace part of the wheat flour with ground almonds for an even softer texture. If you like these little purple treats, carry on with our ube cookies or our soft ube cake, two reliable favourites of the repertoire.
Storing and serving
Ube madeleines are at their best on the day, still slightly warm. That said, they keep for 2 to 3 days in an airtight tin at room temperature. You can also freeze them once cooled and give them a few minutes in the oven to bring back their softness. Serve them with tea, coffee or, to stay in the purple spirit, a homemade ube latte. Find all our ideas on our ube recipes page.
Over to you
With a good powder and a little patience for the resting time, ube madeleines are within everyone's reach. The result — those soft little purple shells scented with vanilla and hazelnut — is genuinely impressive. To get started, choose a quality powder: Ubedia's 200 g Ube Powder, 100% purple yam with no additives and from the Kinampay variety of the Visayas, is the ideal companion for your baking. Happy baking!
