Have you ever made madeleines? They’re a fun French cookie and these Chocolate Almond Madeleines are the perfect way to learn!
I’m so happy I finally made these Chocolate Almond Madeleines! They’re something that has been on my radar since like, culinary school 4 years ago, but I never had the proper pan to make them. Why I didn’t just pop over to Amazon and order one, I have no idea. But, I recently took a trip to the Goodwill with my friend Lauren and I picked one up for a dollar! I also snagged an angel food cake pan so expect a recipe for that very soon.
If you’ve never had madeleines, they’re basically tiny sponge cakes in the shape of shells. They originated in France, and that’s about all I know. This batter does take a tiny bit of attention, but if you love to bake, they make for a fun and relaxing afternoon. I always recommend reading all the way through a recipe before you start, just in case something needs to be at room temp or prepped beforehand. Since this is a sponge cake, it’ll have a firm yet well-aerated structure when it’s all said and done. You’ll only bake these for 9-11 minutes, but they should look wet and feel solid when you poke them. It’s actually pretty trippy.
Even though these aren’t a particularly summery dessert, I still think they would be so cute on display at BBQ or beach party. They’re seashells for goodness sakes! If you want a more fresh summer flavor, these Lemon Madeleines look amazing. But, I would highly recommend you try out these out whenever you’re having a chocolate craving.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond meal
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 tsp honey
- Melt 1 cup of the butter. Set it aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the sugars and eggs on high speed until pale and very fluffy, about 6 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom to make sure there are no clumps. Sift the dry ingredients into the sugar/egg mixture in two separate batches, using your rubber spatula to fold them after each addition. Gently fold in the melted butter, vanilla extract, and honey. Cover and refrigerate the batter for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. While the oven is preheating, remove the batter from your refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Using a pastry brush, generously coat the wells of your madeleine pan with the melted butter. Fill each well about 3/4 full with batter, spreading it out evenly. Transfer the pan to your pre-heated oven and bake for 9-11 minutes. The madeleines will be puffed up in the center and should be firm, but still look moist.
- Remove the pan from the oven and quickly invert the pan onto your countertop to release the madeleines. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once your madeleine pan is cooled, re-butter the wells and repeat with the remaining batter. I usually pop mine in the freezer for a couple minutes to cool it down.
- The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, but are best served immediately.
Check out my Dark Chocolate Espresso Almond Butter!
