Chocolate Madeleines

Post date: Sep 10, 2012 2:33:32 PM

(Adapted from M. Bergin & J. Gethers, Spago Chocolate (1999), p. 59 Yield: 28-30 "cakes"

Ingredients:

vegetable spray or softened butter

1-1/4 C. powdered confectioner's sugar plus extra to sift over baked madeleines

1 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. salt

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped into small pieces 4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed

1 t. orange zest, finely grated

1 t. vanilla extract

5 large egg whites

Equipment:

2 large madeleine pans

sifter or fine-mesh sieve

medium heatproof bowl (glass, porcelain, or microwave proof plastic) microwave oven

wooden spoon or spatula

electric mixer and large bowl

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°F, positioning oven rack in the center of the oven.

Spray madeleine pans generously with vegetable spray or generously coat with softened butter. Make certain that all of the grooves and indentations are well coated to assure easier removal of madeleines.

Using sifter or fine-mesh sieve, sift together powdered confectioner's sugar, flour, and salt. Reserve.

Place chocolate chips/pieces and cubed butter in a heatproof bowl. Place in microwave on "high" setting for 45 seconds. Stir to facilitate melting without burning chocolate. If necessary, return to microwave for another 10 seconds, but try to minimize "zapping" as much as possible because chocolate will be ruined if it burns or fries in the butter. Add orange zest to melted chocolate and stir.

Attach whip or beaters to electric mixer. In a large bowl, using medium speed, whip the egg whites until frothy. Once the egg whites turn frothy, increase speed to high and continue whipping until the whites thicken and hold their shape. The whites do not have to be stiff—just hold their shape. Fold in the chocolate mixture, blending thoroughly. Then fold in the sugar mixture until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Spoon batter into prepared molds, filling almost to the top, but less than completely. Bake in 400°F oven fir approximately 10 minutes, reversing orientation of the baking pans, back-to-front, after 5 minutes. Madeleines are done when the rounded top of each cookie-cake springs back when lightly touched. Be careful not to overbake.Transfer pans to a cooling rack and let sit for 5 minutes. Turn out madeleines on to cooling rack to cool completely.

If you need to reuse a madeleine pan to bake remaining batter, wash, dry, and re-spray/re- butter pan. Give remaining batter a stir before refilling molds for second batch.

To serve, sift confectioner's sugar over the madeleines just before serving.

Note: The chocolate madeleines were served alongside bananas, ice cream, and homemade Chocolate Swirl Sauce, and chopped nuts to make Banana Royales.