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My Double Chocolate Madeleines are fluffy, cakey, and perfect for dunking in tea or coffee! A sweet treat that’s sure to please the chocolate lovers in your life! So bust out your madeleine pan and let’s get baking!
Can you believe we’re already almost halfway through chocolate month?! I don’t know about you, but I feel like it’s flying by!
And I still have a TON to share with you, so let’s crack down to business and chat about recipe #5 in this series: CHOCOLATE MADELEINES!
Aka mini seashell shaped chocolate cake dipped in dark chocolate! They’re not too sweet and just a little bit dry, so they’re perfect for dunking in your morning cup of tea or coffee! I’ve made these 5 times this month alone, and I see no end in sight. They’re that kind of treat you just want to make over and over again!
Ingredients for Chocolate Madeleines:
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find out that these chocolate madeleines are actually made with very basic ingredients! You’ll need butter, bittersweet chocolate, flour (I use all-purpose but I have a feeling a 1 for 1 gluten free flour might work well here), baking powder, salt, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. You’ll also need some parchment paper, which makes clean up a breeze!
You’re also going to need a bit of patience, because although this recipe is very easy, it does require a 15 minute chill out period! I usually use this time to clean up and make a pot of tea!
Let’s Make Madeleine Batter…
The first thing you’ll do is melt your butter. You actually want to cook the melted butter until it’s a light amber brown color and nutty in aroma. This is called brown butter and it’s absolutely delicious! Next you’ll melt your chocolate. I like to do this in a double boiler, but a microwave works fine, too. You want to make sure you do both of these steps first, so the ingredients have a chance to cool down slightly.
Next, you’ll sift tother the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and espresso powder. Those last two ingredients are 100% optional. But I think they really add a pop!
Finally, you’re going to beat your eggs! You’ll do this in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. You’ll beat the eggs, while slowly adding in both sugars, and continue to beat until the mixture is super light and fluffy. Then you’ll toss in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Finally, you’ll add in the melted butter and chocolate. Be sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl once or twice, to ensure everything is incorporated into the batter. Then set the bowl aside for just 15 minutes! This is the magic number when the batter is thick enough but not too thick. Because of this, I don’t recommend making this batter in advance.
Do I need a Madeleine Pan?
100% yes! Unfortunately, there is no workaround for this. You must have a madeleine tin to make this recipe, and in my opinion, you should buy a good one! Because honestly, the difference between a quality madeleine pan and a super cheap-o one is only a few dollars! And a quality one is going to last you years and – maybe even more importantly – it’s going to yield well shaped madeleines that hold their shape and all those lovely grooves. I can’t tell you how many people have made my classic French madeleines and complained that the recipe didn’t work… only to find out later that the issue was actually their pan. So please, use a pan that you trust! And if you don’t already own a trustworthy pan, read the reviews before buying!
What pan do you use?
This is the exact pan I use. I’ve owned it for over 5 years and have used and abused this baby! And maybe best of all, it’s under 12 dollars! It’s a winner. But this USA Bakeware Madeleine Pan is a close runner-up! I’ve only been using it for a year, but it’s heavy-duty and made in the states! It’s a little more expensive, but in my opinion, worth the investment!
Time to Bake!
Ok, so now that your batter is ready to go, let’s preheat that oven! Next, thoroughly grease your Madeleine pans with non-stick spray. Unless your pan is nonstick, in which case you can skip this step OR very lightly grease it. I’ve found over greasing a nonstick pan can actually have a negative effect, causing the Madelines to not hold their shape well.
Add a dollop of batter in the center of each mold. For ease and uniformity, I suggest using a small cookie scoop to do this! Or a tablespoon measuring spoon! Resist the temptation to overfill the molds or to spread out the batter. Overfilling will cause flat madeleines, and there’s no need to spread out the batter because the oven will do this for you!
Next, you’ll bake for about 8 minutes. Keep an eye here, as every oven runs a little differently and yours may be ready at 7 minutes, or take up to 10 minutes. Visually, the madeleines should look set and have a dome in the center.
As soon as you take them out of the oven, turn them out onto a wire rack. It’s important to do this right away, because if you leave them in the hot pan, they’ll actually continue to cook! Which can make them overly dry.
Time to Decorate!
At this point, you’ll either dust the chocolate madeleines with cocoa powder (about 1/4 cup will more than cover the batch) or dip each madeleine in melted chocolate! Both ways are delicious! The first being quick and easy, and the second being much more indulgent and a bit more time consuming, too!
If you go the melted chocolate route, you also have option to embellish your madeleines even more because you can sprinkle chopped nuts, toffee bits, or sprinkles onto the wet chocolate! Use your imagination and go wild here! This is also a great step to get the little ones involved, if you have them!
More Madeleine Recipes:
Double Chocolate Madeleines
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Madeleine Batter:
- 3/4 cup (166 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon oil (coconut, canola, and vegetable will all work fine here)
- 6 ounces (170 grams) 60% cocoa chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 and 1/3 cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (23 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons (6 grams) baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (71 grams) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons hot water (or freshly brewed hot coffee)
For Chocolate Glaze:
- 7 ounces (200 grams) 60% cocoa chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
For the Chocolate Madeleine Batter:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until the top of the butter becomes foamy and you hear tiny popping noises. The butter should be a rich amber color, with tiny brown bits at the bottom. And it should have a slightly nutty aroma. Once the butter reaches this stage, remove from heat immediately and scrape into a small bowl. Mix in oil and set aside until needed.
- In a double boiler - or in the microwave - melt the chocolate on until completely smooth. If using the microwave method, place the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in the microwave, on low power, in 15 second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Set aside until needed.
- In a medium bowl, sift tother the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, espresso powder (if using), and cinnamon (if using). Set aside until needed.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or in the large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the eggs and yolk until smooth. Slowly add in both sugars, one at a time, and continue beating until the mixture is very pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Turn the mixer off and, using a silicon spatula, fold in the flour mixture in three additions, stirring just until combined.
- Fold in the melted butter mixture and vanilla, mixing just until combined. Then fold in the chocolate, again, mixing just until combined.
- Pour in the hot water and let it sit, untouched, for 30 seconds. Then stir until just combined.
- Set a timer for 15 minutes. Allow the batter to firm up for this time.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F). Spray 2 madeleine pans with nonstick baking spray.
- Using a small cookie scoop, place 1 Tablespoon of batter in the center of each mold. Bake, one pan at a time, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the batter has set and the madeleines have a dome in the center.
- Gently turn the madeleines out from their molds. I do this by turning the tray upside down on top of a wire cooling rack. If they stick, carefully run a small knife around the edge of the cakes until they release.
- Dust with cocoa powder and serve at once! Or dip each madeleine in melted chocolate!
- Cool for at least 10 minutes before dipping in chocolate.
For Chocolate Glaze:
- Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. If using the microwave method, place the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in the microwave, on low power, in 15 second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth.
- Dip each madeleine halfway into the chocolate then place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with sea salt, toffee bits, sprinkles, or chopped nuts, if desired.
- Allow the chocolate to set before serving. To speed this up, place the baking sheet into the refrigerator.
- Once set, serve and enjoy! These are really good with coffee or tea.
I would like to prepare a couple of weeks before a party. Any ideas for the best way such as freeze or dip on chocolate after unfrozen? I’ll use some crushed holiday peppermint sprinkles. Thank you
Wonderful and delicious recipe, it’s one of my favorites , I’m going to try.
Is Dutch cocoa powder an absolute must?
Hi. What should I do with my mix while my one pan is baking as I only have 1 Madeline baking pan? Do I definitely need a second pan or can I leave the mix in a bowl while they bake?
My opinion… leave in bowl