Chocolate Madeleines

Does anyone realize I haven’t posted anything chocolate yet? There’s been a chocolate drought on this blog and honestly, it’s a travesty!

So to appease the craving here are some pretty little chocolate madeleines from Williams Sonoma Essentials of Baking.

See? I’m not going to start off my madeleine post by writing about Proust, I mean it, that would be so cliche. Though I must confess, these take me back to the French childhood I never had, and I think I am Parisian in spirit. Really, everything is just better in France (wistful sigh).

These are actually the second recipe for chocolate madeleines I’ve made. The first was from Baking by Dorie Greenspan. I found that I prefer the Williams Sonoma version although they didn’t quite get that characteristic Madeleine “hump” on their backs, but they are tender and delicate little cakes with a gentle cocoa flavour. All they need as adornment is on some fresh fruit and a light dusting of icing sugar. You could dip them in melted chocolate but they don’t need it. Sigh ….Paris, France…

Williams Sonoma Chocolate Madeleines

Dairy

Time: 30-50 minutes

Makes 12 madeleines

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• confectioner’s sugar for dusting

1. Position a rack in the centre of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F. Brush Madeleine moulds with butter.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder into a small bow, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and salt. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat on medium high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Sprinkle the sifted flour and cocoa over the egg mixture and mix on low speed to incorporate. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in one half of the melted butter just until blended. Fold in the remaining melted butter.
5. Divide the batter among the prepared moulds, spooning a heaping tablespoons of batter in each. Bake the cookies until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 12 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven, invert it over a wire rack, and rap the pan on the rack to release the madeleines. Use your fingers to loosen any madeleines that may have stuck. Let cool for on wire rack. Dust with confectioners sugar to serve. Can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days (if they last that long) or stored in the freezer for 2 months.

From: Williams Sonoma Essentials of Baking