Mini Hazelnut and Cacao Nib Madeleines

These mini hazelnut and cacao nib madeleines are super tiny (1 inch by 1 1/2 inches) and so "pop-able." They are dense and moist, and have a wonderful toasted hazelnut flavor. 

Cacao nibs you ask? They are essentially raw chocolate beans that have been chopped and roasted and are ready to be processed into chocolate. They don't really taste like chocolate. Instead, they add a hint of chocolate. While I'm not into food fads, the purveyors tout their "super food" healthiness. I just think they make these madeleines look pretty. 

I think these cookies would also be great dipped in melted chocolate. Either way, they are the perfect dessert cookie perched elegantly on a saucer next to your after dinner espresso, coffee, or digestif.

Mini Hazelnut and Cacao Nib Madeleines

Yield: about 38 tiny cakes.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

2 room temperature extra large eggs

1/3 C granulated sugar

3 ounces all purpose flour (about 2/3 cups)

1/8 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 T cacao nibs, finely ground in a clean coffee grinder

3/4 ounces toasted ground hazelnuts 

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp confectioner's sugar

Instructions

1. Spray two 20-cavity mini madeleine pans with the nonstick cooking spray, and place them on a baking sheet.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the eggs at medium speed for one minute.
3. Add the sugar, and whip at medium high speed for 5 minutes. The mixture should be thick and pale. 
4. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a medium bowl. Whisk in the salt.
5. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture in two batches. 
6. Add the vanilla to the butter and fold into the mixture, one half at a time. 
7. Combine the cacao nibs and hazelnuts, and fold into the batter, 1/3 at a time, completely blending. 
8. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter thicken for one hour.
9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
10. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch plain pastry tip and fill it with the batter. Pipe the batter into the cavities of the pan, filling them. 
11. Bake for 13 minutes. 
12. Tap the pans over a cooling rack to remove the cookies to cool. 
13. Sift the powdered sugar over the cookies right before serving.
14. The cookies will keep for 3 days in an airtight container. 

Adapted from Bite-Size Desserts: Creating Mini Sweet Treats, from Cupcakes to Cobblers to Custards and Cookies.The mini cheesecake recipe in the book is amazing.