There are perhaps as many variations of the madeleine as there are little girls of the same name. This elegant and tasty pastry, while remaining a long-standing favorite, has daunted many a culinary whiz. Traditionally, the madeleine has been considered a small sponge cake, made up of flour, eggs, sugar and butter, among other ingredients. The shell-like shape of the modern madeleine has led to its being regarded by many as a cookie. If the nature of the madeleine seems vague, it may be related to the fact that this little cake's history is veiled in obscurity.
Culinary historians are in disagreement as to the origin of the madeleine.
While some sources believe the recipe to have originated with the famous pastry chef Avice, other authorities hold that these teatime favorites have been known in the French countryside for centuries. The pastry chefs of Commercy, France are recognized as the premi re bakers of madeleines. Though their recipes remained secret for many years, it is still unknown whether the cake was first created in Commercy or if the recipe was sold to the community in a clandestine deal hundreds of years past. One story, which goes back to the Middle Ages, attributes the madeleine to a pastry chef in Commercy. Because pilgrims detoured through Commercy to buy his wares, on their way to St. Jacques de Compostelle, it is said that the chef decided to shape his new pastry in the St. James Scallop design.