Don't let the overnight chill time discourage you from trying these madeleines. These chocolatey, plump, moist tea cakes are worth the wait.
Ingredients
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (70 grams) all-purpose flour
3½ tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ teaspoon double-acting baking powder
⅓ cup plus two tablespoons (90 grams) sugar
Pinch of salt
Grated zest of ¼ lemon (optional)
2 large eggs, room temperature
6½ tablespoons (3¼ ounces; 100 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
Instructions
Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder and set aside. If using the lemon zest, combine the sugar, salt and lemon zest in another bowl and rub the ingredients together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist, grainy and aromatic.
Using a whisk, beat the eggs with the lemon-sugar mixture until blended. Squish the butter through your fingers and add to the bowl. You will be left with little clumps of butter in the mixture--this is okay. Beat in the butter with the whisk until it is evenly distributed. Whisk in the sifted flour mixture just until the flour is incorporated and mixture is smooth. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and chill overnight. If you can't wait overnight, chill the batter for at least an hour before baking.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a 12-mold madeleine pan then dust it with flour (even if you are using a nonstick pan) and tap out the excess.
Divide the batter evenly among the madeleine molds--you don't have to worry about spreading the batter on the molds, the heat will do that for you. Place the pan in the oven and use a wooden spoon to keep the oven door slightly ajar. Immediately turn down the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake the cookies for 13 - 15 minutes, or until the cookies are domed and spring back when pressed lightly. Unmold the cookies and transfer them to a rack to cool to room temperature.
Recipe by Lemons + Anchovies at https://lemonsandanchovies.com/2012/04/chocolate-madeleines/