Choc chip madeleines

As a foodie blogger, you don't need an excuse to indulge in a bit of chocolate, but when there is a cooking challenge coming along which requests the use of chocolate, then you know you must take part. This month Choclette from Chocolate Log Blog and Dom from Belleau Kitchen have joined forces and challenged the bloggers to create something random with chocolate.

My first choice of a book was quite unfortunate, as it didn't have any chocolate recipes (Save with Jamie). The second book, Green & Black's Ultimate Chocolate recipes/The new collection pays homage to this versatile ingredient in all its glory. Now, no cheating, close my eyes and open the book at a random page. Please let it be a cake! As it happened, the page I have opened didn't have a cake recipe. Instead I got tempted by Choc chip madeleines (page 49). Oh No, I wanted a cake. On second thought, as my younger son and I were invited for a play date at his nursery buddies' house, madeleines would be perfect for little people. Easy to transport too. 

I have never baked madeleines before, despite the fact that I bought a madeleines bake tray well over a year ago in Lakeland. Now it was time to dig out that tray from the depths of my kitchen cupboard and finally use it. Green & Black's recipe is actually available online as well, just follow the link for Choc chip madeleines.

Choc Chip Madeleines

Ingredients:

135g butter, unsalted

2tbsp runny honey

3 medium eggs

125g caster sugar

135g self-raising flour

100g choc chips

In a small pan melt the butter, add the honey and simmer for 8 minutes, until it turns brown. Set aside to cool. At this stage it might split, do not worry about it.

Beat the eggs with the sugar. The original recipe asks you to whisk it for 8 minutes (not quite sure why. Why 8 and not 10? Anyway, I didn't fancy using the blender for 8 minutes. Four minutes max).

Add the flour to the eggy mix, as well as chocolate chips (or a chocolate bar broken into pieces). Mix well.

Add the honey-butter syrup to the cake batter.

Place the bowl in the fridge for at least an hour.

Grease the madeleine tray or use the cake release spray. Add a teaspoon of the mix into each mould. Bake at 180C for about 13-15 minutes. They should be turning golden brown.

Take the tray out and carefully remove the madeleines. 

By no means resist the temptation. These madeleines are good both warm and cold. The kids loved them.

The texture is very spongey. They are sweet, with a hint of honey and speckled with choc chips.