Chocolate Dipped Madeleine Cookies

This Chocolate Dipped Madeleine recipe is a classic French cookie with kiss of chocolate and a lemony finish.

When it comes to desserts, the French know the way to my heart. Never skimping on the important ingredients (butter, cream and sugar), authentic French pastry is an indulgence I find difficult to resist. As a romantic gesture, Keith treated me to a Modern French Pastry class for my birthday this year. We learned to make a selection of my favorite desserts, including the classic French Madeleine cookies.

What is a Madeleine?

Madeleines are traditional French sponge cakes with a distinctive shell-like shape (that comes from being baked in a special Madeleine Pan). We like to refer to them as "cookies", but really they are mini buttercakes with a hint of lemon zest. These bite-sized treats are great for dunking in tea or coffee. We dipped ours in dark chocolate and pistachios for an indulgent finish.

Ingredients:

• EGGS (2)
• GRANULATED SUGAR (½ cup)
• VANILLA EXTRACT (1 teaspoon)
• HONEY (4 teaspoons)
• LEMON ZEST (1 teaspoon)
• SALT (a pinch)
• ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR (1 cup)
• BAKING POWDER (1 teaspoon)
• MILK (4 tablespoons)
• PISTACHIOS (¾ cup, finely chopped)
• UNSALTED BUTTER (4 tablespoons, melted)
• DARK CHOCOLATE (two 3.5 ounce bars)

Taking a cooking class with a loved one is a great way to spend an evening, especially when it is BYOB. At Taste Buds Kitchen, Keith and I swigged wine as we rolled out confections, laughed a lot, and even learned some new skills. I was so excited to learn how to make some of my favorite Parisian treats that I ran right home and ordered myself a Madeleine pan, eager to apply my new knowledge.

How to make Madeleines:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in vanilla, honey, lemon zest and salt.
3. Add flour and baking powder, alternating with milk, and beat until blended.
4. Gradually add cooled melted butter in a steady stream, beating until just blended.
5. (OPTIONAL) Add ¼ cup chopped pistachios to mix and stir in.
6. Spoon approximately 1 T batter into each cookie indentation of Madeleine pan (filling almost to top).
7. Bake until puffed and brown (about 5 to 7 minutes).
8. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes in pan, then flip onto cooling rack for an additional 15 minutes.
9. Melt chocolate bars in double boiler (or in glass bowl over boiling water in a sauce pan).
10. Dip Madeleines in melted chocolate, then dip in remaining chopped pistachios.
11. Set finished madeleines on cooling rack for chocolate to harden (about 20 min).

Madeleine cookies are my favorite because they are lemony, light and fluffy. In class we learned to make the classic variety with lemon zest and powdered sugar. We decided to add a bit of texture to this recipe by combining chopped pistachios into the batter and dipping them in dark chocolate. They really are quite simple to make, and they only need to bake for five minutes! I am in love with the signature shell shape and the daintiness of these little French treats. I honestly can’t believe I made them myself! What a great birthday present indeed.

Recipe Notes:

MAKE THE CLASSIC MADELEINE RECIPE: omit the pistachios in step 5. Dust with powdered sugar instead of dipping them in the chocolate.

BRUSH THE PAN WITH BUTTER: we use a non-stick Madeleine pan, but even the best can use a brush of butter before pouring the batter in. This will ensure that the edges are slightly crispy.

STORE IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER for no more than three days. After that, they loose their crisp edges.

DUNK in hot tea or coffee for that truly French feeling. Serve with IRISH COFFEE for an extra special treat.

This recipe was adapted from Taste Buds Kitchen.

More great cookie recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies (with sea salt)
• Mama's Cinnamon Rugelach
• Teekuchen Cut-Out Cookies
• Caramel Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Mom's Vienna Tarts

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