Cacao Madeleines

February 6, 2008 :: by Ingrid

Thoughts of making Valentine cookies, what would be my first post for this blog, and a subtle craving for something chocolate brought about the inspiration for these cookies. This recipe was completely experimental but it wasn’t without a bit of a dilemma.

Deciding what ingredients would form these madeleines was the fun part. After measuring, mixing, and pressing the mixture into the pan, a challenge presented itself when I attempted to remove the cookie dough from the pan. It was virtually impossible to peel it out without destroying the precious shell shape and the shape is all-important. I couldn’t roll the dough into a ball, dehydrate them and call them madeleines. That would be shameless. The whole idea is to have madeleines look like madeleines.

So now what? Chill ‘em? Ok, so I did, I popped the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes thinking that might help, it didn’t. Maybe the dough needed to thoroughly freeze [note for next time]. Plum out of brilliant ideas, I placed the pan on top of the dehydrator rack, covered it and let it be.

An hour or so later, I checked on them and ever so gingerly I was able to manipulate the cookies from the pan. A couple cookies were slightly deformed in the transition, nothing too serious. The end results turned out great for the first go round.

Cacao Madeleines

A traditional French cookie made with a twist and cacao lovers in mind.

1 cup pumpkin seeds, ground to flour
3 tablespoons cacao nibs, ground to flour
2 tablespoons maca powder
Pinch of cayenne + salt
8 green cardamom seeds, removed from shell
1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 apple, peeled, cored, cut into chunks
1 tablespoons dark agave nectar
coconut butter, to butter madeleine pan, optional

Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor, pulse once or twice to combine. Add apple chunks and tablespoon agave, blending until mixture begins to form a ball.

Butter madeleine pan with coconut butter. Scoop out about a tablespoon or so of dough, press into pan. Dehydrate for about 15 hours.

Note: You have the option of grinding the pumpkin seeds + cacao into a fine flour using a coffer grinder then add it to the food processor.

Makes 10 - 12 madeleines