Almond and Chocolate Madeleines :: Baking ::

Baby MiH received a lot of chocolates for Easter - from grand-parents, nursery... He does like chocolate, but there is so much one little boy can (should?) actually eat. So instead of buying some chocolate chips for a recipe, I decided to 'make' some out of the chocolate bunnies and add them to a recipe. 

As I used his chocolates, I thought I really ought to make treats that he would enjoy too - so gone was the quinoa flour (too much of a taste for him) and bring on the sweetness with almond flour. Also I did not want to make big cakes, as he finds it hard to finish them - madeleines are the perfect size for him. He loves them, Mr MiH loves them, and I ate four of them as soon as they were out of the oven - so we can safely say that I love them too (maybe a bit too much). 

The recipe has been adapted from this one - it is now gluten free and using one of my favourite baking ingredient, coconut oil. 

So what will you need (for 24 madeleines, 4 points on WW)

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 large eggs
• 170 g milk chocolate
• 80 g coconut palm sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 75g rice flour
• 75g almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 110g coconut oil

How to make them?

I have two 8-mould madeleine pans (thanks Mum) but you could use mini- or regular-muffin pans

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Spray the madeleine pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment,cream together the eggs and coconut palm sugar on high speed until the mixture thickens and develops a light pale colour, 3 to 4 minutes.

Beat in the vanilla extract, rice and almond flours, salt and baking powder. Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly pour in the melted coconut oil. Mix until everything is incorporated, but don't over mix. Add the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly between the moulds in the prepared pans (not too much in each mould). Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 8 minutes.

Let the madeleines cool for about 2 minutes in the pan, and then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely. 

You have to forget what madeleines taste like - these are quite different and have a really strong almond taste. They are not dry at all.  

About being gluten free (these contain chocolates - so they are probably not gluten-free), I have not gone totally gluten free, I have tried to swap half of my gluten intake - so pasta and bread are definitely on the menu!