small scalloped-shaped tea cake made famous by Marcel Proust; (the town in the Lorraine where the tea cakes are commercialized).

MAD-l-ihn. A small, feather-light spongy cake, often with a scalloped edge. French.

A small shell shaped cookie or cake made from a rich batter similar to g‚noise. These may be flavored with almonds, lemon, or cinnamon.

a small cake baked in a shell-shaped mold. Also, a garnish of artichoke bottoms, onions and green beans.

A madeleine or petite madeleine is a traditional sweet from France. Madeleines are identified by their decorative shell-like shape, which they acquire from being baked in special pans with shell-shaped depressions. Madeleines are cake-like and fairly small. Their flavor is similar to, but somewhat lighter than, pound cake, with a pronounced butter-and-lemon taste.