Chocolate Madeleines – A delicious French dessert! Light chocolate cakes baked in a shell-shaped madeleine pan that are elegant and taste wonderful!
Chocolate Madeleines
Madeleines have been a near and dear treat to my heart for many years. My friends and I used to go get the big container of them from costco and munch on them before I started to make them myself. To my delight, it turns out that madeleines are a wonderfully simple dessert to make right at home with some many different flavors that you can make!
Now the one thing to know about madeleines is that they do require a special pan. I got one of mine (the one used for these madeleines) off Amazon and another (it makes smaller madeleines) from Home Goods. They are quite cheap but necessary if you want them to have the signature shell shape.
To decorate these chocolate madeleines, I like to just melt chocolate and dip part of them in. You can use milk chocolate, white chocolate, or even dark chocolate and even sprinkle some chocolate sprinkles on too. Totally up to you how to make them look beautiful!
Common Questions About Making Chocolate Madeleines
What are chocolate madeleines?
Chocolate madeleines are a light and airy cake baked in a shell shaped tin. The batter is that of a regular madeleine but with the addition of cocoa powder to give it a nice chocolate flavor.
Why are they called madeleines?
They are called madeleines because as the story goes, the name was given to them to honor the father-in-law of Louis XV’s cook, Madeleine Paulmier.
Are madeleines cookies or cakes?
While the recipe for a madeleine is much more similar to a pound cake, they are baked in molds with a crisp golden crust which makes them more like a cookie. So they are kind of a mix between both a cookie and a cake.
Can madeleines be frozen?
Yes, madeleines can be frozen very easily. Let the madeleines fully cool and then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
What other flavors of madeleines can I make?
It’s so easy to customize madeleines! Some of my favorite flavors are –
- Lemon Madeleines
- Pumpkin Madeleines
- Orange Madeleines
- Vanilla Madeleines (recipe coming soon!)
What should I do if I don’t have a madeleine pan?
If you don’t have a madeleine pan, the next best thing would be a muffin tin. While they won’t be quite as pretty, it will do the job.
Why do madeleines have a hump?
Madeleines have a hump because of the temperature difference between the madeleines and the oven which causes steam, thus making the hump.
Looking for more elegant dessert recipes? Check these out!
Chocolate Madeleines
Chocolate Madeleines – A delicious French dessert! Light chocolate cakes baked in a shell-shaped madeleine pan that are elegant and taste wonderful!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
Instructions
- Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat it on medium-high speed for 8-10 minutes, or until it is smooth, pale yellow, and creamy.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
- Combine the flour mixture with the egg mixture and fold it in gently.
- Melt the butter - about 2 minutes in the microwave - and fold it into the batter.
- Transfer the batter in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Towards the end of the chilling step, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a madeleine pan with melted butter and non-stick cooking spray.
- Scoop the batter into the molds until they are 3/4 full using a spoon or ice cream scoop. Gently press the batter into the molds (wetting your hand helps prevent the batter from sticking).
- Bake until the madeleines are light brown - about 13 minutes.
- Transfer the madeleines to a wire rack to cool.
- If desired, garnish with a light dusting of powdered sugar or dip in melted chocolate.
- Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the fridge if you dipped them in chocolate) for up to 3 days.
Notes
* I highly recommend using both melted butter and nonstick cooking spray to grease the pan. It really makes a difference.
Never miss a Mildly Meandering recipe
Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Make sure to check out the web story for this recipe by clicking HERE.