Spicy Chocolate Madeleines: Buttery French Sponge Cakes
Buttery little French sponge cakes with a nice hit of cocoa and a little chilli warmth. Best of all, they aren’t overly sweet. Next time you have unexpected guests, whip out your madeleine mould and bake them a batch of spicy chocolate madeleines.
The good folk at work gave me a voucher for a local kitchen shop for my birthday last year. It took me a while, but I finally spent it – on some silicone Madeleine moulds. Not only have I never made Madeleines before, but I don’t remember ever having eaten one either.
Spicy Chocolate Madeleines
So, it really is time to bake up some madeleines. I wasn’t entirely sure what they’re meant to be like, so I placed my faith in Dan Lepard. In fact I based my recipe on his Madeleines de Commercy from Short and Sweet. I used my usual half wholemeal, half white flour mix and substituted the vanilla extract for my homemade chocolate extract. Oh and I mustn’t forget the crucial bit, I swapped some of the flour for cocoa.
These spicy chocolate madeleines are actually quite similar to my recipe for chilli chocolate madeleines. And yes, I made those after these spicy chocolate madeleines. But there are differences. These ones don’t contain honey. Nor have I made them with chilli flavoured drinking chocolate. So take your pick as to which you think you might prefer.
It’s always best to eat madeleines on the day of baking and these spicy chocolate madeleines are no different. Though they will keep for a few days in an air tight tin. You can always freeze any surplus madeleines. They’ll be fine in the freezer for a couple of months. Alternatively use them, as I have here, in a trifle.
Hooray, my first Madeleines were a success. They turned out well, had the classic shell like shape and looked pretty. They tasted buttery, had a nice hit of cocoa and chilli and weren’t too sweet. I have no idea what the texture is meant to be like, but these are light and spongy. Unlike Proust, they didn’t take me back to my youth, but these easy jam tarts did, vraiment.
Spicy chocolate madeleines are perfect for surprise visitors as they take thirty minutes or less to make from start to finish.
Other Chilli Chocolate Bakes You Might Like
- Chilli chocolate chip friands
- Chilli chocolate cupcakes
- Chocolate chilli cake
- Corn chilli chocolate muffins
- Peanut butter chilli chocolate chip cookies
- Chilli chocolate mincemeat slice
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these spicy chocolate madeleines, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or tips for making these type of sponge cakes?
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Choclette x
Spicy Chocolate Madeleines. PIN IT.
Spicy Chocolate Madeleines
Ingredients
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 75 g golden caster sugar
- 90 g flour (half wholemeal spelt, half white spelt)
- 10 g cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2 tsp chocolate extract (I used homemade)
Instructions
- Melt the butter gently in a small pan then set aside to cool.75 g unsalted butter
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for longer than you’d expect, using electric beaters. Whisk until the mixture has trebled in volume and is pale and thick.2 large eggs, 75 g golden caster sugar
- Sift in the flour and other dry ingredients.90 g flour, 10 g cocoa powder, ¼ tsp cayenne, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- Fold into the egg mixture as gently as possible trying not to lose too much air.
- Pour the butter in down one side of the bowl and carefully fold this in together with 2 tsp chocolate extract until just incorporated.2 tsp chocolate extract
- Place a tbsp of the mixture into each of 18 greased madeleine moulds.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 200℃ (400℉, Gas 6) until well risen and firm to the touch.
- Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a Madeline either! I would very happily start with these, I love the addition of chili to chocolate!
I did buy a pack of them recently from a supermarket, but I wasn’t super impressed. Suspect they’re no more the real thing than most other commercial cakes are.
I made two cakes today, a Victoria sponge and a chocolate cake with cream filling. I would have loved to have tried these too they look lovely.
These look gorgeous. A recipe to try out sometime soon.
wow they look perfect 🙂 will you be experimenting with more madeleines in the future?
an excellent choice, did you see Michel Roux Jnr and Mary Berry making madeleines on Food and Drink last week?
I do love a madeleine and not just because it makes me feel Proustian. Mind you, Proust probably wouldn’t approve of chilli but I definitely would. Lovely idea.
Haha Phil, you’re absolutely right, he wouldn’t have approved at all.
WOW!! They look fantasic!! Bet they taste lovely too 🙂
Thanks Kim – modesty forbids me to say how lovely they tasted 😉
love these madeleines!!
Thank you Gloria, Madeleines make perfect little cakes.
I really want to taste these!! Choc and chilli love love love!
Yay, another chilli chocolate lover 😀
These look so perfect and I love the addition of chilli.
Thanks Angela – I have been know to sneak chilli into all sorts of thing 😉
They look fabulous. I really must buy myself a madeleine tray as I have so many recipes for them that I have never tried.
Well worth getting as they are something fairly impressive you can whip up at short notice and they take virtually no time to cook.
I love madeleines and I also have a silicon mould, should really use it more.
Go Janice go 🙂
They look gorgeous Choclette. Elegant and inviting. Adding chilly is very exotic! Very nice.
Thanks Alida, I’m a little bit addicted to chilli 😉
Whata thoughtful and kind gift and a great piece of kit to be spending it on! Lovely, lovely sounding madeleines!
Thanks Kate, I really must get it out and use it again 🙂
I love how you’ve Chocletted them to the full and with the chilli, too. Fabulous!
Well Jill, I guess I could have really pulled the boat out and dipped them in chocolate too 😉
they look perfect and the way you’ve described them are, I think, exactly how a madeleine should be… beautiful!
Thank you Dom *breathes a huge sigh of relief* 🙂
They look perfect! I was given a madeleine tin years ago and I have never used it.
Now that is truly shocking 😉
Beautiful, elegant madeleines – they look so light too, perfect!
Thank you Katharine. I think I;m going to have to do some more experimenting with madeleines.
Perfect looking! Love the chocolate and chili combo … very ‘Chocolat’
Can’t help myself Susan, it’s one of my favourite combinations 🙂
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Oh wow, they look fantastic, I’m not very brave with baking but these do look easy.
Thank you. Yes, they weren’t at all hard to make and well worth the effort.
What an unique madeleines recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Angie. I’m a bit of a chilli fiend and especially like it combined with chocolate 🙂