Chocolate Madeleinescookies 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind; or 2 teaspoon grated orange rind 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 8 tablespoon butter; melted cooled slightly, p 4 tablespoon butter; softened PREHEAT OVEN TO 400F. Smear 1/2 teaspoon softened butter over the inside of each madeleine form. Be sure to completely cover with butter--don't leave spots. Combine the eggs, sugar and lemon or orange rind in a large mixing bowl, and stir them together. Set in a pan of simmering water and stir until the egg mixture is very warm to your finger. Remove from the heat and beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy, pale yellow, and tripled in volume, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt. Dump the flour and cocoa into a sifter or strainer. Sift once, return to sifter or strainer and sprinkle half of it over the egg mixture, and fold it in. Pour in 8 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle on the remaining flour, and fold gently just until the batter is mixed. Spoon a generous tablespoon of batter into each prepared mold; do not spread it evenly; it will level itself in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges of the cakes are golden and they lift easily from the molds. (If you have only 1 pan, and can bake only 12 at a time, let the mold cool, wipe it out, grease with butter, then refill with batter and bake again.) Remove from the oven, slipping the tines of a table fork under each cookie to free it, and transfer the madeleines to a rack to cool. Serve within a few hours, or wrap airtight and freeze. Serve plain, or sprinkle the ribbed side with confectioners' sugar. |
