Black and White Madeleines

Today, a little twist on the classic French bakery treat: Black and White Madeleines. If you ❤️these little cookie-cakes, you’ve got to try this marbled version. They are so much fun!!

I’ve already shared these Classic Madeleines and this Bittersweet Chocolate version and you should definitely, definitely make both because they are each individually wonderful, but if you are in the sort of mood where you’re craving both chocolate and vanilla, this black and white version totally delivers.

Plus, who can resist swirly marbled desserts?

And though they look like they might be difficult, the fact is that while a little time consuming, they are actually easy to make and a very rewarding little project.

Once the batter is made, you simply divide it in half, add vanilla extract to and some unsweetened cocoa powder and a little melted milk chocolate to the other. Then you simply drop spoonfuls of each into the madeleine molds and use a butter knife to create that marbled effect. Easy-peasy and done!

The madeleines bake up golden brown and buttery with a light crisp crust and spongy crumb. And with every bite you get that perfect van/choc combo—no agonizing, “should I go for the chocolate or vanilla one necessary?!” Lol!

So…though we may not be able to travel to Paris right now we can still bring a little ooh, la-la into our lives! Bake up a batch of these delightful madeleines, close your eyes and pretend you’re whiling away a carefree afternoon in some wonderful little French patisserie.😊😊

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Black and White Madeleines

Makes one dozen

Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus at least 1 hour chilling time (and up to overnight); Bake Time: 13- 15 minutes

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for the molds

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• Pinch of fine sea salt

• ½ cup sugar

• Finely grated zest of one lime

• 2 large eggs, room temp

• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus additional softened butter for greasing the molds

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 ounce good quality milk chocolate, melted (don’t do this too long before you use it, you want the chocolate to still be in a liquid-like state-I used Lindt)

The Recipe

1. Butter and molds of the madeleine pan, making sure to get into all the crevices and dust with flour. Tap out the excess and place the pan in the fridge while you prepare the batter.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the ⅔ cup flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, add the sugar and lime zest and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the eggs and mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is pale and thick. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the dry ingredients, until the flour is entirely absorbed. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl, because this has a tendency to stick. In 3 additions, add in the melted butter, folding gently. Pour half of the batter into a small bowl.

4. Into one of the bowls, stir in the vanilla extract. This will be the white batter.

5. Place a strainer over the other bowl and shake the cocoa into the batter to remove any lumps. Then pour in the melted chocolate and gently fold/stir it all together. This will be the dark batter.

6. Divide the vanilla batter evenly among the molds. Top with the chocolate batter, also dividing evenly. The chocolate batter will be stiffer than the vanilla—this is ok. Use a butter knife to swirl the chocolate into the vanilla to marble it a little. Stick the pan into the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. If you are going to chill it longer than the 1 hour, cover the pan with plastic wrap after the first hour.

7. When you’re ready to bake, center a rack in the oven, and place a rimmed baking sheet into the oven and preheat to 400ºF. Place the chilled madeleine pan onto the hot baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, until the cakes are puffed, golden brown and spring back at the edges when gently poked by your finger. Remove the pan from the oven and rap it against the counter to loosen the madeleines. They should easily come loose. If they stick a little, give the pan another rap and use your fingers or a knife to loosen. Transfer to a cooling rack and serve immediately or later that day. Like all madeleines, these are really best on the day they’re baked.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from Baking Chez Moi by Dorie Greenspan. I stuck pretty closely to the recipe—they’re pretty much perfection!