Madeleines

I absolutely adore a good Madeleine. Golden brown along the edges, buttery interior, light and airy and not too sweet. After all, they are for eating with a good cup of coffee and we all know that if the dessert is too sweet it alters the taste of a good cup of coffee. Desserts, like foods, should work with the coffee, not against it.

That is why the French never drink coffee with their dessert course. I have tried my share of recipes and I finally think I found a good one.

It is actually flavored with sweetened flake coconut so the texture has a little chew to it. I like that. I am also dipping half of them in melted chocolate and then a sprinkle of coconut while the chocolate is still warm.

The Nudge, not a fan of coconut, agreed with the dipping in melted dark chocolate but not with the extra coconut sprinkled after.

I bought my coconut from Whole Foods and there is a difference in that and the bagged brand often found at a basic market.

Even though this recipe only uses 1/2 cup of sugar for 24 cookies (1 teaspoon in each cookie) and we are allowed 4 teaspoons of sugar a day, I used the Splenda anyway.

Coconut Madeleines
makes 24 cookies

* 1/2 cup sweetened flake coconut
* 3 large eggs
* 1/2 cup Splenda
* 1 cup GF all purpose flour mixture
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
* 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar (optional), or
* 1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels + 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Coat 24 indentations in madeleine pans with melted butter.
2. Pulse coconut in a processor until ground.
3. In a large bowl, with electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until blended and slightly foamy, about 2 minutes.
4. On low speed, beat in flour, ground coconut, baking powder and salt until just smooth. Add melted butter and extracts; stir until combined. Let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F.
6. Scoop, using a small 1oz scoop, a generous amount into each indentation.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cookies are done when they are golden around the edges and springy when pressed with your fingertips. Let cool 5 minutes. Remove from pans to rack, let cool completely. Dust with sugar (optional).


8. In a bowl over boiling water, melt chocolate with cream. Dip each cookie, rounded side, into chocolate and place on a pan with parchment or waxed paper. I find that freezer paper works well also.

You can see from what's left of my madeleines, they were good undipped also.