Blood orange & dark chocolate madeleines

Best enjoyed fresh from the oven, these delicate madeleines dipped in dark chocolate and dusted with blood orange powder make a delectable dessert

Prep:50 mins
Cook:30 mins
plus overnight chilling

Serves 20
More effort

Nutrition per serving

kcal 122
fat 7g
saturates 4g
carbs 12g
sugars 8g
fibre 1g
protein 2g
salt 0.1g

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
2 large eggs
100g golden caster sugar
zest 2 blood oranges plus juice of ½ (about 2 tbsp)
100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
140g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
blood orange dust (optional - see below)

Tip

Blood orange dust

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel from 3 blood oranges, trying to take off as little pith as possible. Arrange on a baking tray lined with parchment and bake in the oven at its lowest temperature (around 60C/40C fan) for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs or until the peel is dry and curling up on itself, checking regularly. Allow to cool, then grind to a powder using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Will keep in a sealed jar for a few months – add it to cakes or porridge for a flavour boost.

Method

Put the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat until it foams and turns a nutty brown colour – watch the pan carefully, as butter can burn quickly. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool.
Beat the eggs, sugar and zest in a large bowl with an electric hand whisk for about 5 mins until thick and pale. Add the juice and mix to combine. Mix the flour and baking powder together, then sift over the batter mixture, a third at a time, and fold in.
Add a large spoonful of the batter to the butter, mixing together until smooth and combined. Pour this into the batter and gently fold together until fully combined. Press a sheet of cling film onto the surface of the mixture and chill overnight.
About 30 mins before you want to bake the madeleines, grease a 12-hole madeleine tin with a little extra butter and dust with a little flour. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put the tin in the freezer to chill for 30 mins. Remove the batter from the fridge and add about 1 heaped tbsp to each madeleine hole – be careful not to overfill as they will bake over the edge and won’t form the characteristic hump. Depending on the size of your tin, you will have some batter left – either bake in batches or put the rest back in the fridge and bake within three days.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 mins or until golden brown around the edges. Immediately turn out the madeleines onto a wire rack and leave to cool fully. Put the chocolate in a microwaveable bowl and heat in the microwave on High in 30 sec bursts until about three-quarters of the chocolate has melted. Remove from the microwave and stir vigorously until the remaining chocolate has melted (this is a simple method of tempering and just ensures the chocolate will set properly at room temperature). Dip each madeleine halfway into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off, then place on a sheet of baking parchment. As the chocolate starts to set, but while still a little tacky, sprinkle with some of the Blood orange dust (below), if using, and allow to cool.