Raspberry and Chocolate Madeleines

As much as I love madeleines warm almost straight from the oven (and oh how I love them), sometimes I like to make my madeleines just that bit more fancy.

This recipe matches the sweetness of the vanilla infused madeleines with a hit of more bitter dark chocolate and the sweet, sourness of fresh and freeze dried raspberries.

Delicious as a tea time treat and special enough for guests with some vanilla ice cream as a dinner party dessert.

Method

Make approx 18 madeleines depending on your tin case size.

You will need 2 x 9 case madeleine tins to make the recipe in one go.

To make the madeleines, melt the butter and then mix together the flour and baking powder in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar for 2 - 3 minutes until they have thickened and have air bubbles in them. Sift in the flour and baking powder mixture into the eggs and gently fold in until there are no lumps.

Add the melted butter and vanilla bean paste to the mixture and fold this in until you have a nice smooth batter. Cover the batter with cling film, pushing it down so it sits over the surface of the batter. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to a day before using.

When you are ready to bake the madeleines, pre-heat the oven to 210c/ 190c Fan/ Gas Mark 6. Melt a small knob of butter. I do this by putting it into the microwave in a ramekin for a few seconds.

Use a pastry brush to pain the inside of each of the madeleine cases in the tin with a thin coating of butter. Next, sift plain flour over the top so the buttered cases are lightly coated. Tip the case up and tap to get any of the excess to fall off.

Fill each of the madeleine cases two thirds full with the mixture and place a raspberry half in the centre of each one.

Place the madeleine tray in the middle of the oven on a pre-heated baking sheet for 9-10 minutes until they are just golden brown.

Remove the madeleines from the oven. Let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then when they are cool enough to handle, gently take out of the tin and place a cool rack. Leave to cool completely.

For the chocolate and raspberry coating, melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over the pan of boiling water. Do not let the bowl touch the water or the chocolate will burn. Use as much of the chocolate as you need to create a depth you can dip the madeleine into. This will differ depending on your bowl and pan size.

Tip the freeze dried raspberries out into a bowl and have a plate next to it to hold the madeleine over whilst you coat it so you don’t end up with a kitchen covered in chocolate.

When the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat but leave the bowl over the pan so the chocolate stays liquid. Dip each madeleine in the chocolate and allow any excess to drip off. Next hold the madeleine over the plate and sprinkle over the raspberries.

Don’t hold the madeleine over the raspberry bowl or you will end up with them covered in chocolate and you won’t get the colourful effect.

Place each madeleine on a large baking tray covered in grease proof paper. When all the madeleines are coated place them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.

Take them out of the fridge a few minutes before serving to bring them up to room temperature.

Ingredients

Madeleines

3 medium eggs

100g caster sugar

100g plain flour (plus extra for dusting the madeleine tin)

1 tsp baking powder

100g unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing the madeleine tin)

1tsp vanilla bean paste

10 fresh raspberries

Madeleine Coating

100 - 200g dark chocolate minimum 70% chocolate solids

15g freeze dried raspberries