Madeleine, Madeleine... While baking these Madeleines, I can't stop thinking of Madeleine McCann, the poor little girl who has been missing since 2 years ago. This is possibly the worst nightmare that a mum could have, not knowing where her little girl has gone and what has been done to her. Being a mum myself, I can understand the pain, the loss and the sadness one would feel when her little girl has gone missing. May our prayers be with her and her family.
Now back to the 'Madeleines'. I made these chocolate Madeleines solely because I just bought a new Madeleine tin on my shopping trip today. The cocoa powder adds a twist to this classic French recipe.
Have you wondered why these little cakes are called Madeleines? According to Wikipedia: "Some sources, including the New Oxford American Dictionary, say madeleines may have been named for a 19th century pastry cook, Madeleine Paulmier, but other sources have it that Madeleine Paulmier was a cook in the 18th century for Stanislaw Leszczynski, whose son-in-law, Louis XV of France, named them for her. The Larousse Gastronomique offers two conflicting versions of the Madeleine's history."
Chocolate Madeleines Recipe (Makes 12)
(Adapted from Donna Hay Chocolate)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup (75g / 2 1/2 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1/3 cup (50 g / 1 3/4 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 60 g (2 oz) butter, melted
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F).
- Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa over the egg mixture and fold through with the melted butter.
- Spoon the mixture into greased large Madeleine tins until two-thirds full.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the Madeleine's are set.