Honey and Chocolate Madeleines

Will you be my valentine?  :)  Although it's most known as a "Lovers" holiday, I have a good friend from Peru who told me that in her country this day is reserved for "Friendship".   So whether it's love or friendship you celebrate today, Happy Valentines'!


Here are a couple recipes that you can share with your friends or your Honey!  Madeleines are cute little french petite cakes that bake up in under 10 minutes.  For the traditional shell shape, you will need to use special shaped pans for these recipe, my madeleine pans are from Williams-Sonoma.

 

Honey Madeleines
Adapted from Bon Appetit



3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large organic eggs
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest (optional)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled, plus more for molds

Special equipment: One 16-cookie madeleine pan with 3x2" molds


Preheat oven to 400°F.
 
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and thick, about 4 minutes. Beat in honey, vanilla, and zest. Gently fold in dry ingredients. Add 5 tablespoons melted butter; gently fold into batter. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of batter; chill for at least 3 hours. Note: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.  Using a pastry brush, brush madeleine molds with melted butter and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.  Lightly sprinkle pan with flour right before adding batter.

Drop 1 scant tablespoon batter into each mold. Bake until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 10 minutes.

Chocolate Madeleines (Madeleines au Chocolat)
Adapted from Epicurious


1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
Pinch salt
2 large organic eggs
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Butter for buttering the madeleine tins

Special equipment: One 16-cookie madeleine pan with 3x2" molds

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Brush the madeleine pans with melted butter and refrigerate to harden.




Sift together the flour, cocoa and the salt.  Place the eggs and the sugar in a large bowl and whisk until thick and lemon-colored. Fold in flour, then melted butter.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hr (up to 2 days).  Remove pan from refrigerator and sift with unsweetened cocoa before adding batter.
Spoon the batter in the individualized pan, filling each about three fourths full.
Bake until they are firm and puffed, about 7 minutes. Turn them immediately from the molds, let cool.  The madeleines are best when eaten slightly warm or at room temperature the same day they are made.