The Madeleine Sandwich You Didn't Know You Needed

You already know I'm obsessed with madeleines. If you missed it, go and read my Classic Madeleine recipe first, then come straight back here, because this is where things get a little bit extra.

Same shell. Same golden crumb. But this time we're slicing them open, filling them with a cloud of mascarpone cream, pressing them back together into the most beautiful little sandwich you've ever seen, and rolling the edges in fresh strawberries. It looks like something from a patisserie window. It tastes even better than that.

And the best part? It's genuinely so simple to put together.

The Mascarpone Cream

This filling is three ingredients and about two minutes of your time. That's it.

250g mascarpone

2 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Whip everything together until thick, smooth, and pipeable. That's your filling done.

Building the Sandwich

Once your madeleines are baked and cooled, take a small serrated knife and slice off the hump from the flat base of each one. This gives you a flat surface to work with and, bonus, a little pile of madeleine offcuts to snack on while you work. You're welcome.

Pipe a generous swirl of mascarpone cream onto the cut side of one madeleine, then press a second one on top, cut side down. You'll end up with a beautiful shell-shaped sandwich with the cream just peeking out around the middle.

Now roll those creamy edges in chopped fresh strawberries. The cream acts like glue and the strawberries cling on perfectly, you get a little pop of fruit in every bite that cuts right through the richness of the mascarpone. It's a moment.

Make It Your Own

Strawberries are my go-to, but honestly this works with whatever you have. Try chopped pistachios for something a little more elegant, chocolate nibs for a richer finish, or crushed freeze-dried raspberries if you want a bit of colour and tang. There are no wrong answers here.

Elliot's Tips

1. Don't skip the hump slice. It might feel wasteful but it makes all the difference — the flat surface means your sandwich sits neatly and the cream doesn't squeeze out everywhere when you press the two halves together.

2. Serve the same day. Once filled, these are best eaten fresh. The cream will soften the madeleine over time, so don't fill them too far in advance.

Tag @elliots.table on Instagram when you make these — I want to see your creamy shells.