Yes, I know… I’ve been slackin lately with my blogging. I have good reason, though! I spent the weekend up in Tallahassee with the folks. That is where I’m from and where all of my family still lives. I ate like a piglet all weekend and have had my quota of fried food for the rest of the year. My mom and I spent several hours on Friday making egg rolls. We had guests coming, and were running late so it was just like an episode of Iron Chef. Well, except we had no bizarre ingredients like black chickens. Anyone ever see a black chicken? Looks like its rotten… or perhaps was a heavy smoker during its life. Even the bones are black… blechhh!! Anyway, I digress… I had a fabulous time in Tallahassee, hanging out my family.

Also, one my dearest friends had a baby yesterday! Stephan took his professional camera to the hospital and took pictures of Baby Brock Anthony when he was just an hour old. You can see the documentary style newborn pictures here. Instead of taking a balloon that said “ITS A BOY” he stopped at Cheesecake Factory and bought Godiva cheesecake for the new mommy. Didn’t I say recently he was a good man? Well he is! Kristine (the mama) is a huge fan of chocolate and I think she will love these Dark Chocolate Madeleines from The Essential Baker by Carole Bloom. They are so chocolaty, they are almost brownie like. I’m sure the purists out there will frown upon these, but they are so tasty… I don’t even care!

Dark Chocolate Madeleines Recipe

3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 oz butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temp
1/2 c superfine sugar
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter your Madeleine Molds or mini-muffin pans with melted butter. I like to use a folded paper towel or a pastry brush.

2. Place the chocolate and butter together in a small glass bowl and microwave on high for 30 second intervals. Stir often with a rubber spatula to help melt evenly. You can also do this over a double-boiler. Add the vanilla and stir well.

3. Place the eggs in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, whip about 1 minute until frothy. Add the sugar and continue whipping until the mixture is very thick and pale colored, about 5 minutes.

4. Sift the flour and stir in the salt. With the mixer speed on low, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in 3 stages, blending well after each addition. Stop and scrape down the bowl. The mixture should be smooth.

5. Pour the chocolate and butter mixture into the bowl and blend in thoroughly. Pour the batter into a liquid measuring cup. Pour the batter slowly into each cavity of the madeleine molds, filling them 3/4 full. Place each madeleine pan on a baking sheet.

6. Bake for 7 minutes, and then turn the pans and bake for another 6-7 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly when touched. Remove from the oven and turn pan upside down over cooling racks and shake gently to release the madeleines from the molds. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar.

Note: You can also drizzle the cooled Madeleines with melted dark chocolate.